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OTS A AVE NY VE 
RENSSELAER ae p2144- 4502 


ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTE D 


$300. 


© 1989 





ALBANY, NY } 
PERMIT NO. 8 | | 


FACTSHEET FIVE is copyright © 1990 by Michael A. 
Gunderloy. You may freely reprint any of the contents of 
FACTSHEET FIVE, with or without permission, with or without 
credit, except for the following: 

“NTSC Cyberbeat” is copyright © 1990 by Belka Stamas. 

“Eighties Mail Art Networking” copyright © 1989 by John Held 
Jr. Used with permission. 

Artwork by the Aristotle Group copyright © 1989 by the 
Aristotle Group. 

Artwork by Ace Backwords copyright © 1989 by Ace 
Backwords. 

Artwork by Cathy Buburuz copyright © 1989 by Cathy Buburuz. 

Artwork by Carrie copyright © 1987 by Carrie. 

Artwork by P. Wayne Henderson copyright © 1989 by P. 
Wayne Henderson. 

Artwork by Gene Mahoney copyright © 1989 by Gene 
Mahoney. 

Artwork by Judy Pokras copyright © 1990 by Judy Pokras. 

Artwork by Jason Sadofsky copyright © 1989 by Jason Sadofsky. 

Artwork by Joey Shea copyright © 1989 by Joey Shea. 

Artwork by Matt Towler copyright © 1990 by Matt Towler. 

Artwork by Shannon Wheeler copyright © 1989 by Shannon 
Wheeler. 

ISSN 0890-6823 

This magazine was set in Palatino seven and eight point, with 
twelve, eighteen and twenty-four point Palatino heads, on a 
Hewlett Packard LaserJet Series II printer, from files produced 
using Sprint and formatted with Xerox Ventura Publisher version 
2.0 enhanced with Soft Kicker, and printed on a Goss Community 
press at World Printing, Albany, New York. 

Founderer Emeritus 

St. Michael D. Miller, retd. 
Spiritual Advisor 

St. Stephen Xavier of Trever 
Visual Arts Critic 

Anni Ackner 
Moving & Shaking 

John Held Jr. 

Poetry Critic 

P.J. Bellomo 
Special Guest Reviewers 

Andrea Bierwith 

D.S. Black 

F.C. Gunderloy, Jr. 

Geof Huth 

Dave Kolasa 

Evelyn Lau 

Carolyn MacDonald 

Sid “Dusty” Miller 
Official Curmudgeon 

Garry De Young 
Fisherman 

Joe Lane 
Aural Arts Critics 

Kevin Byrne 

LJ. Cunningham 

Karin Falcone 

Tom Gogola 

Amy Guskin 

Ken Johnson 

Jay Mentes 

R. Miller 

Cris Elligott Rowles 

Carol Schutzbank 

Kyle Silfer 

Dina Williams 
Experioddica Consultant 

Bob Grumman 
Staph Trickster 

Misha 
Videonetworker 

Belka Stamas 
Official Conspirator 

Kerry W. Thornley, KSC 
Aural Editor Emeritus 

Shane Williams 
Contributing Artists (and page numbers) 

Andy Amster (54,75,89) 

The Aristotle Group (7) 





Ace Backwords (67) 

Michael Behaviour (67) 

Jim Blanchard (39) 

Cathy Buburuz (10) 

Carrie (23) 

Russell Christian (49) 

Drain (112) 

John Eberly (3,113) 

W. Cullen Hart (71) 

Wayne Henderson (34,91) 

David Lee Ingersoll (11) 

Mark Kissinger (80) 

Tuli Kupferberg (13,124) 

K. Lemming (63,88) 

Gene Mahoney (84) 

J.P. Morgan (1) 

Neal & Mr. Pits (79) 

Mark Neville (111) 

Larry Oberc (2) 

Tommy Hojager Oleson (18) 

Judy Pokras (111) 

Peggy Ranson (41) 

Roman (95) 

Jason Sadofsky (92) 

Joey Shea (68,85,121) 

Ed Stastny (57) 

Ken Sutherland (1) 

Matt Towler (87) 

Kate Tremblay (12,84) 

Jason Trent (116) 

Barb Warr (114) 

Shannon Wheeler (29,120) 

Front Cover by 

Nancy G. McClernan 
Moral Support & General Assistance 

Carolyn MacDonald 
Paid Scutworker 

Cris Rowles 
Art Director 

Cari Goldberg 
Endless Mailing Label Work 

Cari Goldberg 

Amy Losee 

Kathy Manley 

Cris Rowles 
Official Driver 

Gay Kendall 
New Age Researcher 

Remy Chevalier 
Loonie-Tune Researcher 

Bag of Water 
Official Supernumerary 

Mike Gunderloy 
Cleaning By 

The Friendly Janitors, Inc. 

Approved by 

Eighteenth Century Communications, Ltd. 

FACTSHEET FIVE is published six times a year, appearing in 
the mails on or about the tenth of February, April, June, August, 
October, and December. Deadlines for FACTSHEET FIVE are the 
20th of January, March, May, July, September, and November. 
Our production schedule is very tight; missing the deadline by 
even one day almost always guarantees that your work will wait 
for the next issue. 

A glossary of unusual terms used in FF is available for a 
stamped, self-addressed envelope. 

Guidelines for artists are available for a stamped, self-addressed 
envelope. 

Back issues of FACTSHEET FIVE are available as follows: 


#1,2,3,4,17.1 $1 each 
#18,20-33 $2 each 
#5-17 $3 each 
#19 $10 each 
Complete set $80 


Please see the facing page for new subscription rates. 
Next Deadline: 


March 20, 1990 
(music deadline March 10, 1990) 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Factshert Five 


Welcome to another issue of the zine of crosscurrents and cross-pollination. 
Available by mail or in person from Mike Gunderloy, 6 Arizona Ave., 
Rensselaer, NY 12144-4502; phone (518)-479-3707 (24-hour answering machine, 
so call anytime); 300/1200/2400 baud phone (518)-479-3879 (call anytime you 
have a computer handy). This is Pretzel Press publication #825 and is intended 
for direct Bulk Mailing to subscribers and good people across the country, 
around the world, and right into your face. Press run: 6600 copies. 34th 
issue, February 1990. 

This is where I explain the mailing code, on the far right of the first line 
of the address label. 

A number indicates the last issue that you'll be getting. So if the number 
is “34”, you need to Do Something if you want to keep getting FF. If the 
number is “34” and you don’t even know why you got this, you probably 
have a Secret Admirer or something. Wanna subscribe? 

There are a couple of things that can flank this number. If it’s flanked 
with asterisks ("34"), you've paid for, and should be getting, first class postage. 
If it’s flanked with carets (“34*), then this is a trade copy for which you paid 
first-class postage, after which you will revert to bulk-mail trade copies. If 
it’s flanked with plus signs (+34+) you're getting a library subscription, 
including first-class postage, mailing envelopes, and the index. 

“{" indicates that you’ve got nothing to worry about, because you're on 
the staph, you won a contest, or you just got lucky. 

“A” means that you're getting this because of your artwork; either you 
sent me some or I want you to send me some, or both. 

“B” means I’m trading for a book you sent. 

“D” means that you're a distributor and so you get one copy for yourself 
as a freebie. I’m looking for new distributors, people who think they can sell 
at least ten copies and want to split the proceeds. Distributors get a 40% 
wholesale discount on all copies, and may sell on consignment. The number 
after the colon is how many copies I think I’m sending you. For more 
information on terms, send an SASE. 

“L” means you’re a lifetime subscriber, and will receive every issue of 
the magazine as long as either it or you is alive. Lifetime subscribers get 
their copies sent out bulk mail, without extra goodies. If you want extra 
goodies, you should be a supporting subscriber (see below) instead. Lifetime 
subscribers may upgrade to supporting status at any time by paying the 
current difference in rates. 

“M” means you sent me music to review. I usually allow 2 issues for a 
single, 3 for a tape, or 4 for an LP, but I screw up a bit, so let me know 
if you’re owed more. (Or less). 

“P” means you're a prisoner. FACTSHEET FIVE is always free to prisoners, 
but you need to keep in touch to keep getting it, otherwise I'll assume the 
copies aren’t getting through to you. Wardens, you gotta pay like anyone 
else. Prisoners in mental institutions are extended the same privileges as 
those in allegedly-saner criminal institutions. 

“R” means that this is a review/checking copy. It is for you to have to 
check the review I’ve done of your zine, or to be able to do a review of 
mine. I would like to see further copies of yours for future review—though 
of course you’re not obligated to publish a review. I will continue to send 
you R copies as long as | stay on your mailing list, whether you write 
teviews or not. If you publish infrequently, I expect at least a note every 
six months to keep you on the mailing list. 

“R?” means that I’d like you to consider sending copies of your zine in 
return for review/checking copies of mine. 

“S” means that you are a Supporting Subscriber, and therefore exempt 
from nonsense. Supporting subscribers get their issues sent First Class, with 
the index included. They also get free copies of FACTSHEET FIVE 
publications as they're issued—most recently the WHY PUBLISH? booklet. 
Right now we’re up to about 77 Supporting subscribers, but there’s always 
room for one more. 

“VY” means you sent me a videotape to review. If you require the tape 
to be returned, one video is good for one issue in trade; if you leave it with 
me for the archives, one video is worth four issues. 

Any of the above followed by a number (like “M/34”) indicate the issue 
you'll have to renegotiate to keep getting FF. You must get in touch with me 
at least once every two issues, regardless of the mailing code, to continue getting FF! 
This applies to prisoners, artists, traders, everyone! 

Send me your zine, drop me a line, do SOMETHING so I know you're 
still out there. Actually, this doesn’t apply to subscribers, only to people 
getting the zine for free. Clear? 

Please take a moment to check your mailing label. If there are any 
mistakes, you have to let me know. They won't fix themselves. And you 
won’‘t get any further warning if your subscription has run out. 

And remember, FF is sent bulk mail. Not only does this make it slow 
(though, I hope, not too slow), but it means undeliverable copies go to that 
Big Post Office In The Sky. So PLEASE get your COAs to me promptly to 


avoid missing issues. I am not responsible for copies lost due to unannounced 
moves. 





Introductory Matter 1 


Here’s the new basic subscription rates: 

Regular subscription (anywhere in North America): $3.00 or 8 IRCs 
per issue up to five issues, $16 or 40 IRCs for a six issue (one year) 
subscription. 

First class subscription (U.S. only): $3.75 per issue up to five issues, 
$21 for a six issue (one year) subscription. 

Library subscription (includes the index and first class mailing in a 
protective envelope) (U.S. only): $4.50 per issue up to five issues, $23 for 
a six issue (one year) subscription. 

Air Mail subscription (outside U.S. only): $7 or 18 IRCs per issue up 
to five issues, $38 or 95 IRCs for a six issue (one year) subscription. 

Lifetime subscription (anywhere in North America): $75. 

Lifetime subscription (outside of North America): $190. 

Supporting subscription (anywhere in North America): $125. 

Supporting subscription (outside of North America): $330. 

I accept for payment cash (U.S. or otherwise), check or money order 
drawn in U.S. funds, unused U.S. stamps or international reply coupons. 
Please note that I cannot accept checks or money orders drawn in foreign 
currency. I am, however, happy to accept cash (bank .notes) from any 
country at the official rate of exchange. If you live in a country whose 
currency does not convert, please write and we’ll work out a deal. Those 
in the Warsaw Pact are encouraged to request a sample copy in exchange 
for local publications, underground or otherwise. 

Unless you specify otherwise, all subscriptions start with the current 
issue. 

Publishers and others who get their issues without paying may have 
them delivered first class for $1 per issue. This rate is only valid if you 
would have received that issue anyhow. 





Thanks to An Amazing Food Into Shit Machine, Brian Burch, Les Cammer, 
Brian Drake, Mark Neville, Jackie Peschock, Mark R. Smith, Noemie Vassilakis 
and Donna Young for their generous donations towards publishing this issue. 


If you want FF sent to a friend, just send me their address and $2, or 
$2.75 if you’re in a hurry. FF makes a great Christmas, birthday, or Bar 
Mitzvah present. I’ll mark it as a gift from you unless you specify otherwise. 


In lieu of sending stamps, money, fanzines, artwork, books, or music, 
you can get FF by sending me something to review that I haven’t seen before, 
or by bartering canned goods, negotiable securities, wind-up sushi, shark’s 
teeth, Magic Rocks, limited edition wallpaper, or other interesting or amusing 
flotsam from our society. 

Thanks to Herbert Ashe, August, Bag of Water, E.J. Barnes, Jon Bekken, 
Clif Bennet, Mykel Board, Brian Burch, Donald F. Busky, Remy Chevalier, 
Jeff Copenhagen, Tim Cridland, Paul Di Filippo, Chris Dodge, Jim Downard, 
Mary Fleener, Gene Guthrie, Linda Hedges, Michael Helsem, Helpers of 
Planet Earth, Joy Hibbert, Wayne Honath, Brian Horst, Michael S. Horwood, 
Glen Humphrey, Joe Lane, Steve Lynch, Mike Marinacci, Chris Martin, Sid 
“Dusty” Miller, Tony Miller, Fred Mills, Walt Noiseux (OK, so Montreal is 
bigger!), Kerry Pearson, Mark Rose, Phil Scalice, Chad Schiffner, Joe Schwind, 
Thomas Slone, Jack Stevenson, Barbara Tan, Jim Testa, Rosemary West, Martin 
Morse Wooster and Bud Wooten for sending new and unknown zines for 
me to review in this issue. Some of you will find that your donations did 
not get reviewed—this is because I didn’t have time, not because I didn’t 
enjoy them. Sorry. Special thanks to Boog Highberger, Jeff Miller and Tony 
Miller for sending back issues of various zines for the archives, and to Debi 
Dip for the complete set of REAL LIFE; such donations are always appreciated. 





2 News 





CHANGES OF ADDRESS 


®COPS HATE POETRY and other projects of Charles Bernstein are now 
in PO Box 5008, Evanston, IL 60204-5008. 

®THE DISSIDENT now resides in PO Box 396, Marbury, MD 20658. 

eDoink Records has bounced off to 1572 Overton Park #11, Memphis, 
TN 38112. 

@Susan Dome of Tischworks has moved to 551 Park Ave., Windsor, CT 
06095. 

®DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES and David Kopaska-Merkel have floated 
off to 4801 Cypress Creek Dr. #1004, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405. 

®@FOUR-ALARM FIRESIGNAL has been reincarnated as FIRESIGNAL, c/o 
SPARKS, PO Box 3540, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. 

®INDEPENDENT GLOBALLY and Eric Vonk are now at Lange Haeg 114, 
3853 EJ Ermelo, HOLLAND. 

®KIDS LIB NEWS and Mycall Sunanda are sunning themselves at PO 
Box 1064, Kurtistown, HI 96760. 

@Left Bank Distribution has moved to 4142 Brooklyn NE, Seattle, WA 
98105. 

®MALLIFE and Mike Miskowski are now shopping at PO Box 17686, 
Phoenix, AZ 85011. 

®METROSPECTIVE may be seen at PO Box 101, Schererville, IN 46375. 

®MIAMI METROPOLIS is at 1552-A Euclid Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139. 

OUT WEST and Chuck Woodbury have moved to 10522 Brunswick Rd., 
Grass Valley, CA 95945. 

@PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER and Jude Grant are curled up in PO Box 
12421, Columbus, OH 43212. 

®ROLLER SPORTS REPORT and Fred Argoff have skated off to 1800 
Ocean Pkwy. #B-12, Brooklyn, NY 11223-3075. 

©Daniel Ryan has moved to PO Box 26013, Stn. B, San Francisco, CA 
94126. 

®SHANGRI-LA has moved to PO Box 20662, Seattle, WA 98102. 

®THE STEWART REPORT and Algernon Stewart now report from 5 W. 
8th St. #317, New York, NY 10011-9001. | 

eTINA has moved to PO Box 1914, Bellingham, WA 98227-1914. 

Trauma TV has moved to PO Box 42405, San Francisco, CA 94142-2405. 

eTrue Crime Trading Cards have moved to PO Box 146606, Fullerton 
Ave., Chicago, IL 60614; the price is now $3 for the first edition. 

eTumult is now at 2336 Market St. #107, San Francisco, CA 94114. 

®TWO-HEADED DOG and Erik Weems are both at 115 East Ln., Hot 
Springs, AR 71901. 

eP.D. Wilson has moved to 3414 4th Ave., Columbus, GA 31904. 

@WORDBURGER is now at 1107 Alabama, San Francisco, CA 94101. 

@Xkurzhen Sound and Michael Jackson are at 216 Adams St., Newton, 
MA 02158. 

Remember, since it costs me 30¢ just to get your COA if the Post Office 
tells me, and remailing your FF would cost me the price of another copy 
plus first class postage (they don’t return whole issues, just covers), I’m not 
inclined to send you a replacement when this hap pens. If you want to keep 


Four things you should notice 
* Publishers, the Zine Exchange box has run dry again. If you have 
excess back issues you want to get rid of, please consider shipping them 
to us for redistribution. For that matter, if anyone is considering getting rid 
of old fanzines, this would be the perfect way to do so. Isn't making 
someone else happy better than adding to the nearest landfill? 

* Fanzine Editors, I would appreciate it if you would make sure that 
any reviews or ads you run for FACTSHEET FIVE contain the new price 
of $3 for a sample issue. : 

* Some fanzines are in their own nice little boxes, and stand out from 
the crowd. This is not because I like them better, but because their editors 
have suggested a heading for them to be under. If you would like you zine 
under a heading, please tell me so. 

* Please check the FF zip code in your mailing list; I’ve been getting an 
increasing amount to the wrong zip, and the Post Office is getting ‘cranky. 
The correct zip is 12144-4502. 































FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


your collection complete, send me your Change of Address as soon as you 


know it! 
LOST ADDRESSES 


Anybody got a current address for any of these? 

eBLACKWORLD, a pretty good bi-weekly paper from SUNY-Stony Brook 
which arrived with no return address. 

©The Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust 

FELICITY 

Prudence Gaelor 

eTHE IRD I 

®INTERRUPT NOW 

®Like Rain 

®Nun’s Worm Press, who sent me a booklet titled SPOOIE but no return 
address. 

®SYSTEM OPPOSED 

The Winged Monkeys and/or MEDICI COUCH 

Ernest Woodall 

®YIPPIE HIPPIE 

By the way, if you've had any correspondents go missing lately, feel free 
to send their names to be added to this listing. 


DEAD ZINES 


All of the' following have ceased publication in the last few months: 

®THE ACTION LINKAGE NETWORKER (Action Linkage as an organiza- 
tion is still alive and well). 

®AMERICAN LIBERTARIAN 

®CHAIRS MISSING 

®CHEMICAL CASTRATION 

@CLANDESTINE CLOSET 

@CRITTERS 

@DOWN BY THE BOARDWALK 

®GREEN HELL GAZETTE 

®MATT LUKINS LEGS 

®READERS’ POLL 

®SACRED EARTH NEWS 

®SWEET & SWISHY 

®USELESS YOUTH 

®VETERANS’ UPDATER 


e@VICTORIAN VAULT 
ERRATA 


®CAMPUS REVIEW t-shirts are now only available in XL, and are on a 
100% cotton beefy-T. 

@CANUCK COMICS, reviewed in the last issue, proves to be no longer 
available from the publisher. 

®COMIC UPDATE was incorrectly listed as ETHER TELEGRAMS. Also, 
the price should have been 50¢, not 560¢. 

eThe correct Zip Code for HEADLINES is 3279993-5094. 

@Roger Reus’ address was listed incorrectly in the last issue. The correct 
address is 9412 Huron Ave., Richmond, VA 23294. 


T-SHIRTS 


®ASYLUM magazine (PO Box 6203, Santa Maria, CA 93456) has put out 
a shirt featuring the distorted, digitized face from their masthead and the 
words “Commit Yourself / Asylum Magazine”. They're in black ink on 
“straight-jacket white” all-cotton shirts, and available for $10 postpaid. 

BUSH: “I AM SATANI” is the caption on a new shirt from Tom Gogola 
(180 Washington #706, Albany, NY 12210). Beneath this there’s a picture of 
our president, grinning, with small horns and “666” on his forehead. $10 
postpaid in black on a white all-cotton shirt. 

®Give Me A Kiss Drive Me Crazy! is the caption on a new shirt from 
Stark Grafixs (PO Box 170381, San Prancigco, CA 94117-0381). The graphic is 
collaged, showing one rather Christlike man being kissed by another, framed 
by a field of skulls. Black ink on a white 100% cotton shirt. 

@Mutilation Graphics (3765 Oriole Ct., Shrub Oak, NY 10588) carries a 
wide line of sleazy shirts: Ted Bundy after death, medical oddities, bondage 
ads, Sleep Chamber, SRL, Dangerous Visions, and much more. You can get 
their current catalog for a buck. 

®GOING GAGA has shirts out with “Mysterious images on both sides 
and Weird packaging”. Mine showed up in a Chinese food take-out container, 
mailed with a tag attached to the handle. The shirt itself is a 50-50 mix, 
black on white, with Japanese sign-language and “GAGA” on the back and 
a small image of a dancer labeled “A Noh Future Think-Tank for Short 
Attention Spans” on the front. $10 from Gareth Branwyn, 2630 Robert Walker 
Pl., Arlington, VA 22207. 

elf it’s not one thing, it’s another. Last issue I mentioned that I hadn’t 
seen any of the shirts put out by LITTLE GREEN MAN (Gary Turchin, 3776 
Manila Ave., Oakland, CA 94609). Now I’ve got two of the shirts, and they’re 
great, but I can’t find my copy of the catalog to tell you what they cost. 
Anyhow, my favorite is still “I Pink therefore | Ham”, featuring a bright pink 
pig sitting on a stool and pondering on a gray all-cotton shirt. On the other 
hand, my wife the physicist got a real kick out of “Self Meets Anti-Self” 
(Dialogue: “Are You Energy?” “Does it Matter”), just a black sketch on a 
white shirt but funny to the cognoscenti. Look, send Gary half a buck or a 
buck for his catalog, apologize for my stupidity, and then order some of his 
shorts. 


_ 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 News 3 


@MUTILATION GRAPHICS (3765. Oriole Ct., Shrub Oak, NY 10588) sent 
me a whole pile of their shirts, $8 each (plus $2 shipping for the first shirt 
and 50¢ for each additional shirt) in sizes up to XL (they can special order 
up to XXXXL), black ink on white 50-50 shirts. A lot of them are publicity 
from classic b-movies, like the one with the rat captioned “The Rats Are 
Coming” The Werewolves Are Here!” and with the note in the corner “Win 
a Live Rat for your Mother-in-Law!” For strong-stomached fans of the bizarre 
there’s the shirt for the band Sleep Chamber, a bondage scene showing a 
face encased in a leather and chrome mask with tongue about the lick the 
heel on a super-high-heeld boot. Then there’s Big Daddy Roth’s classic Rat 
Fink (yeah, I read those car comics when I was a kid), grinning, sweating 
and attracting flies and with an amazing leer on his face. This is just a small 
sample of what's in their catalog, which you can get for a buck. And I'll be 

tioning more next issue! 

ONOXYNOL-9 (PO Box 7792, Rego Park, NY 11374) sent me their first 
shirt. It features a drawing by Val Dray of a succession of women dressed 
as fashion models walking towards the viewer. What makes it neat is that 
the drawing is color-separated for 3-D, and comes with a pair of viewing 
glasses. (Of course, if you want other people to get the full effect, you'll 
have to run down the street loaning them the glasses, but that’s their problem). 
$10 in two colors on a white 50-50 shirt. 

eAlyce Wittenstein sent me the shirt for her new film, NO SUCH THING 
AS GRAVITY. It’s screened in white on a black 50/50 shirt, and features a 
sort of angular, pulp sci-fi title, with credits for the leading players. You can 
get one for $12 from Verge, Inc., 141 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10013. 

ePOP LAUNDRY is the t-shirt arm of EULIPIAN magazine. The shirt at 
hand features a stunning computer graphic, in yellow, green and black on a 
white all-cotton shirt. It’s a face, more or less, captioned “X RAY EYES” in 
futuristic type”. Sure to cause comment among technophobes and technophiles 
alike. Contact them at PO Box 61387, Seattle, WA 98121. 

eR.C. Brown Cow is a band on the Airburst label (PO Box 993, 
Gaithersburg, PA 17201). Their shirt is pretty strange. On the front there’s 
a brown cow, standing in a field of marijuana and mushrooms and munching 
away. Marijuana legalization slogans float by while a skull labeled “C.A.M.P.” 
lies in the foreground. The back has a skull and crossbones with eyepatch 
and “RC” in hardcore lettering on its forehead. Sure to provoke the cops 
and amaze your friends. They come in Large and XL on 50-50 shirts for $10 
postpaid. 

@Trinity Square Video (172 John St., 4th Fl., Toronto, ONT, MST 1X5) 
has a really nice new-wavish television shirt, featuring a stylized guy on 
screen with a camera and wearing a shirt with a TV on it. This would go 
great for anyone into independent video or community access. $10 will get 
you one. 

eI’m happy to announce that Freddie Baer is continuing the T-Shirt of 
the Month Club into 1990. You need to make a three month commitment 
for $24 to get on her list. In return, you'll get a new silkscreened shirt each 
month. The December shirt had a sort of Native American year-end theme. 
I've been a member since the beginning, and wouldn’t dream of dropping 
out. To contact Freddie, write to her c/o Mystopia, PO Box 410151, San 
Francisco, CA 94141-0151. January’s shirt was white ink on a black 100% 
cotton shirt, showing the pastoral butterfly about to be captured by the 
industrial fly. 

We Three Bings is a record from Vital Music (236 E. 10th St., New 
York, NY 10009) and not surprisingly it’s here because they’ve done a shirt 
of the cover design. It’s screened in black on a bright red 50-50 shirt, and 
features a photo of three bumed-out looking dudes with Santa caps and the 
caption “Vital Music’s N.Y. Trash Xmas Comp.” Not the greatest quality pic 
in the world, but probably of limited availability at best. 


ARTIFACTS 


Absolutely Perfect Productions (729 Fifth Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118) 
sells colorful vinyl buttons through the mail. There’s a bright yellow happy 
face captioned “SLIME” ($2), Marilyn Monroe or James Dean heads ($4 each) 
or a colorful tube of paint marked “I Am an ARTIST—Give Me Money” ($3). 
They’re all pretty slick looking, and well off the beaten path. Shipping is 35¢ 
each, or you can get the full price list for an SASE. Valerie Walker can also 
do custom work from drawings or photos. 

©The Cabbagetown Boycott Committee (c/o Brian Burch, 44B Spruce St., 
Toronto, ONT, M5A 2H9, CANADA) has a couple of goodies for those of 
you participating in the grape boycott called by the UFW. One is a bright 
ted “Boycott Grapes” sign, with the stylized eagle insignia, with a suction 
cup to stick it on your car window. You can get one for $2. The other is a 
button featuring the eagle superimposed on a maple leaf, surrounded by the 
words “This Canadian Cares...Boycott U.S. Grapes”, which sells for $1. 
Proceeds from both go to the UFW. 

Good Medicine “Peyo-Tea” ($12 from Rosetta, PO Box 4611, Berkeley, 
CA 94704) “is a sacramental ally composed of traditional Native American 
herbs” including Sarsaparilla, Echinacea, Burdocl, Prickleyash and several 
more, but not including any peyote. For your twelve bucks, you get enough 
tea for seven people in a little cloth bag, a pamphlet on the traditional uses 
of peyote, and a full color Peyote Button (the kind you pin on, not the kind 
you eat). A portion of the profits is going to further the legal struggles of 
those who use peyote as a sacrament. 

The “Ike” Device ($20 from Veterans Information project, PO Box 662, 
Hillsborough, NH 03244) is a small stand of a picture of General Eisenhower, 
with the quote ”...people want peace so much that one of these days 
governments had better get out of their way and let them have it.” Pinned 





to Ike’s lapel is a small “No War” button (the word “war” with the international 
slashed red circle across it), with a $1 price next to it. For your $20 you get 
thirty of these buttons, so you make $10 profit if they all sell. Or, for $1 
and a stamp you can get a single one. I’m wearing mine. 

@MODOM #3 (SASE from Jake Berry, 2251 Helton Dr. #N7, Florence, AL 
35630): The third in a series of art objects from Jake. This one is a balloon 
featuring a Mike Miskowski poem and a drawing by Jake. The ink is a bit 
smeary, but I’ve never gotten any other balloons, so it’s the best thing in its 
class. Knowing Jake and his attitudes towards experimental art, the most 
appropriate activity is probably to inflate this until it bursts. 

BE NONOXYNOL-9 (PO Box 7792, Rego Park, NY 11374) sent some odds 


‘and ends. You can get photos of the “Big Six Shrine” (which appears to be 


a dry cleaners) for a buck, A vial of actual NYC dust from under John Six’s 
bed for $1, or the official (wax?) “Mannequin Ear” for $5. For $1 you can 
get a glossy print of three nude mannequin photographs, with additions in 
magic marker to make them sexier. I can’t say that any of them have any 
readily apparent household uses, but who knows what you're into. 

@OLIVER’S REVOLVING SURGERY #1 ($7 from Mr. Breakfast, 103 
Wheeler, Toronto, ONT, M4L 3V3, CANADA): This is mainly a zine, but 
I’m reviewing it here because of the presentation. The magazine is a wild 
mix of the flat earth, wrestling women, tortures and mass murderers, nasty 
things done by the government, and lots of strange drawings, scribblings and 
pictures; the words ”How to Go Crazy”, within, adequately convey the spirit 
of the whole. It’s packaged with a collage poster, a set of 7 trading cards 
showing three aliens and a chicken (“all the same so you never have to 
worry about what card you're missing”) and the piece de resistance, an 
eggplant stuck through with various bits of ironmongery. The latter has the 
distinction of being perhaps the first thing I’ve been sent that can’t be properly 
archived (but please don’t take this as incitement to send me more vegetables!). 

eA VOICE WITHOUT SIDES #4 ($1.50 from Geof Huth, 225 State St. 
#451, Schenectady, NY 12305): I would classify this as a self-destructing poem 
object. There are four extremely short wordplay poems here (how short? 11 
words for all four), printed in colorful rubber stamping—on a standard pink 
eraser. This presents a quandary; to use the object for its intended function, 
removing unintentional words from the page, will also destroy the intentional 
words on its surface. My solution is to archive it, thus denying the object’s 
use but preserving its appearance. 


SOFTWARE 


eI will review IBM-PC compatible software personally, and have reviewers 
for MacIntosh, Amiga, Apple II, Atari ST and Commodore 64 software, so 
if you know of any interesting programs for these machines, please put them 
in touch with FF. 

e@AGOG AGO GO ($3 from Edward Leonardo Jewasinski, 116 Eswyn Rd., 
Tooting, London SW17, UK): This is an electronic fanzine, edited by Edward 
and programmed by Andrew Heald. AGOG is basically a poetry magazine, 
but in translation to the screen it picks up some interactive qualities and a 
new look. I have some minor complaints about the way it works (the b&w 
text is eyestraining after a while, there is no easy way to page through and 
see the whole magazine without constantly returning to the index, and mouse 
support would be nice) but on the whole, it’s an impressive package at a 
reasonable price. The works themselves range from mild erotica through 
surrealism, with a few short stories and graphics thrown in for good measure. 
Overall the poets here are challenging without being unnecessarily obtuse. 
Edward is looking for text files and .PCX graphics for future versions, and 
promises EGA enhancements at some point. This zine is also available on 
the FF BBS, at 518-479-3879, for those of you with computers and modems. 
(IBM) 

Deep Space ($6 from PC-SIG, 1030-D E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 
94086; order #866,867): This is a program for astronomers, or at least folks 
who want to look at the sky and know what they’re seeing. There are really 
two programs here. The first produces two types of maps showing where 
the planets are on any given day (out as far as Saturn), making its maps 
directly on the printer (Epson or IBM graphics compatible). This worked well 


ESCAPE 
COAT 














SOFTWARE 
FOR Z 
FREE??! | 


ll, not exactly free, but certainly one of the greatest bargains in 
computing. Experience the wonders of “shareware” with computer 
software that you can try at a nominal price and upgrade at a later 

time, giving the registration fee directly to the author of that given program. PC-SIG 
is the world's largest distributor of shareware and public domain software for the 
IBM compatible. As an intemational source for quality software, PC-SIG serves 
its users with virus-free programs, expert technical support, courteous customer 
service and prompt order processing. 


O GALAXY(765) 
Some consider this the swiftest and easiest to use word processor ever! Menu driven, spell check, 
find and replace features. 


O ZOOM RACKS (1287, 1288) 

"Database of the year’ says Compute! Magazine, Organize everything for business letters, to 
inventory, to sales, to collections, Whole businesses are running on ZOOM RACKS alone, 
Requires 384 K. COUNTS AS 2 DISKS. 

O PC-CALC+ (199, 1016, 1017) 

Buttonware’s most popular spreadsheet has 16,000 cells, graph making ability and a walk-through 
tutorial. Hard disk required. COUNTS AS 3 DISKS 

O PROCOMM (499) 

The popular telecommunications package for Datastorm Technologies enables you to access 
computer bulletin boards in a straight-forward manner. 

O WILDCAT BBS (745, 746) 

A new bulletin board which even the relatively inexperienced can set up and operate. It supports 
all the popular file-transfer methods such as XMODEM and YMODEM, among others. COUNTS 
AS 2 DISKS. 

O) FLU-SHOT+ (1119) 


Protect your PC's hard disk from viruses, trojan horses and other pests, 


CO OPINION MASTER SURVEY SYSTEM (1035, 1036) 
Determine people's attitudes or opinions regarding any subject. Creates custom surveys & 
analyzes the results. Requires 320 K & hard drive. COUNTS AS 2 DISKS. 


O EZ-FORMS LITE (1202) 


Design and print your own business forms in minutes. Requires 320K and dot matrix printer. 


O FAMILY TREE (1535) 


This program provides a convenient means of collecting and compiling genealogical and biographi- 
cal information. 


O WISDOM OF THE AGES (1498-1501 ) 

Discover the insightful thoughts and advice of some of the most significant thinkers throughout 
history. WISDOM OF THE AGES provides a capsulized collection of mankind's wisdom spanning 
over 2,000 years. COUNTS AS 4 DISKS. 


| THE PC-SIG ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SHAREWARE 
Pick up the ultimate guide to the thousands of shareware programs available through the PC-SIG 
library. Read comprehensive descriptions and reviews of the various applications available, 
including spreadsheets, word processors, databases, arcade games, educational exercises, 
graphics tools and programming aids. 

O) SHAREWARE MAGAZINE . 

Keep up with the latest developments of shareware with this bi-monthly magazine designed for the 
casual user and expert alike. Discover ongoing uses for the programs in this Ongoing forum of ideas, 






































SIGN ME UP! iwantto get the greatest deal in PC computing! I'm 
sending you some money and this what | want... 
Disks @ $6 each = 
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__Copy(ies) of THE PC-SIG ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SHAREWARE @ $17.95 
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or Call (800) 245-6717, operator 2123 











































News 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


and quickly, The second is the star-mapping program, which has a database 
of 18,000 stars and a whole mess of comets. It plots to the screen (CGA 
required) and can dump to the printer. Versions are supplied for systems 
with and without a math coprocessor; even the latter ran acceptably fast on 
a 12 MHz system. Unfortunately, there seems to be a bug in the cursor 
location routines when using an EGA, which crashed the program whenever 
I attempted to find out the name of a star or constellation, making this a 
somewhat less useful feature. The program can also construct stereoscopic 
views of the sky with user-selectable eye separation. A special viewer is 
included with the registered version, $59 from the author. (IBM) 

©Fortune Teller (Evaluation copy $5, registered version $29, from R.K. 
West Consulting, PO Box 8059, Mission Hills, CA 91346): This program is 
actually a medley of smaller programs which tell fortunes in a variety of 
traditional ways. There are a couple of playing-card fortunes, a dice method, 
and rune-casting, as well as numerological personality analysis. The registered 
version also includes some ESP testing programs. The program is bombproof 
and simple, as with others from this company, and the instructions are 
detailed and straightforward. There’s still a few bugs here; most notably, 
when a die comes up a six, nine spots show on the screen. It would also 
be nice if the program could sense the speed of the computer it was running 
on, and adjust accordingly; shuffling cards and rolling dice went by too quickly 
to appreciate on my 12 MHz system. (IBM) 

®Galaxy ($3 from PC-SIG, 1030-D E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086; 
order #765; author's registration is $59.95): Galaxy is a simple but remarkably 
full-featured word processor. It has a pull-down menu interface which can 
be used with either a mouse or function keys, as well as keystroke shortcuts 
to all its commands. It understands Wordstar commands and files, as well 
as its own native instructions and ASCII files. The interface is very intuitive, 
with good on-line help as well as an on-disk menu; you cna be typing in 
files very shortly after proceeding through the excellent installation program. 
I only found a few problems, most notably in cursor processing with both 
an EGA and a mouse installed; the program recovered well from such situations 
as the attempt to load a file larger than memory. 

This is not a program that will do everything the major word processors 
will. In particular, the size of the files is limited by regular memory, and the 
printer control is rudimentary. (It supports character formatting and margins, 
but not multiple-columns and other layout tools). But for sixty bucks, you 
get all the functionality that you're likely to need when learning to use the 
computer, in a fast and flexible program. (IBM) 

®@GESTUS Vol. 3 #4 ($25/yr from Brecht Society of America, 59 S. New 
St., Dover, DE 19901): This “Electronic Journal of Brechtian Studies” comes 
out without touching the printed page. First it’s issued as an electronic 
newsletter over the computer networks. Then the files are taken, combined 
with photographs and commentary, and put out as microfiche. I find this 
pretty exciting, but then, I’m easily excited by technology. The articles are 
straight ASCII so there’s no problem reading them from most any system. 
As for the contents, they’re devoted to the playwright Bertholt Brecht and 
his works, with a number of interesting critical essays and reviews of current 
performances. 

eTHE PC-SIG LIBRARY (Fourth Edition & Supplement) ($12.95 for Vol. 
1, $8.95 for Supplement, plus $4 s&h from PC-SIG, 1030 E. Duane Ave. #D, 
Sunnyvale, CA 94086): If you’ve been intrigued by the reviews of shareware 
distributed by PC-SIG, this is the next logical step to take. It’s the directory 
of everything they offer (well, the first 1124 disks, anyhow), with notes on 
what the programs do and what hardware they require, together with reviews 
and notes from users. The books are well-organized and indexed a couple 
of different ways. A reasonably cheap way to get the dope on a lot of 
software packages, some very professional, some not. (423 pp. tpb & 226 pp. 

b) 
e lower #7 ($2 from Dick Freeman, 130 W. Limestone, Yellow Springs, OH 
45387): A Mac environment computer zine that contains poems, stories, 
opinion pieces, and reviews of various Western past-times. All documents in 
this issue were produced in MacWrite but could be opened by the MSW 4.0 
document converter. Graphics were a problem to convert the last time, and 
this time there weren’t any, but they’re still on my wish list. 

This issue is a hodgepodge, suitable only for untiring eyes. Betty Huck 
offers informal reviews of some LA plays. On the porn scene there were 
blue reviews—which, incidentally, indicate VHS blue tapes are receiving some 
systematic vandalism; in addition, a separate piece mentioned this hot 
marketing idea of “porn soaps on cable” (i bet itll happen). Then there’s the 
Pro Wrestling Report & poems by Oberc, et al. Finally, I have to mention 
what appears to be the Ist installment of a story by Norma Lee Edwards. 
Years ago there was this Cuban refugee cab driver named Froggie O’Toole...if 
you're even the slightest bit of a romantic you'll be begging for the next 
issue. (Mac/538k)(Reviews by pj bellomo) 

©Public Software Library (PO Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705) is a 
source for shareware, as well. as for discounted computer hardware and 
non-shareware software. They're especially strong in software directed at 
programmers. You can get their latest newsletter/catalog for $2. 

@Sage: The Past Life ($3 from PC-SIG, 1030-D E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, 
CA 94086; order #1486; author's registration $10): The basic premise of this 
shareware program is simple: it leads the user through a series of guided 
visualizations meant to conjure up images of past lives. Unfrotunately, the 
execution is deeply flawed, with words misspelled even on the opening 
registration screen and color combinations designed to cause eyestrain after 
moments. But the root problem is that it’s difficult to close your eyes and 
do a guided meditation when you have to keep opening them up to read 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


the next set of instructions on the computer screen. As an example of New 
Age software, this may be the tip of an iceberg, but the slight novelty doesn’t 
justify putting up with its flaws. (IBM) 

®TEX files for MS-DOS are distributed by Jon Radel, PO Box 2276, Reston, 
VA 22090-0276. TEX is a respected typesetting system for which the source 
code is public domain; hence, people have ported it to PCs along with a 
variety of supporting programs. To find out what’s out there, send Jon a #10 
SASE with 45¢ postage on it. 


IMPORTANT EVENTS 


eSacred Art of the SubGenius is the title of an art exhibit running from 
January 10 through April 10, 1990 at Psychedelic Solution Gallery (33 W. 8th 
St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011). Call 212-529-2462 for more details; the 
gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 PM. 

eThe Third Wave of Feminism: A Candidly Revolutionary Approach, the 
Radical Women’s 23rd Anniversary Conference, will be held Feb. 17-20, 1990, 
at the BayView Plaza Holiday Inn in Santa Monica, California. For information 
phone (415)-864-1278. 

e@SXSW’90, the annual south by southwest new music festival, is being 
held March 14-18 in the Hyatt Regency Austin. Registration is $75; for more 
information write PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765 or call (512)-477-7979. 

©The International Primate Protection League is planning an annual 
members’ meeting, with the first one to be held March 23-25, 1990. For more 
information, contact the IPPL at PO Box 766, Summerville, SC 29484. 

eThe American Peace Test (PO Box 26725, Las Vegas, NV 89126) is 
Py planning a 5-day sustained action at the Nevada Test Site March 29 through 

j April 2, 1990. 

eThe Grove St. Gallery (100 Grove St., Third Floor, Worcester, MA 01609) 
is planning a comic book & fanzine art show for some time in Spring 1990. 
They're looking for submissions now; send SASE for more information. 

eThe annual Kenneth Patchen Festival will be April 27-29 at the Trumbull 

2 Art Gallery, 720 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren, OH 44482; phone (216)-395-4876. 
Bem Porter is among the participants this year. 

@DECALcoMANIA, the club for collectors of radio tapes and promotions, 
is planning a convention in Southern California in April or May 1990. For 
more information send an SASE to Dale L. Andrus, 1425 Cherry Ave. #155, 
Beaumont, CA 92223. 

@CORFLU 7 is the convention for science fiction fanzine fans, being held 
in New York City on May 46, 1990. Registration is $35 for an attending 
membership or $5 for a supporting membership, from Lise Eisenberg, 99 
Joralemon St. #6D, Brooklyn, NY 11201, who is also the. person to write for 
more information. I'll be there, assuming my schedule allows it. 

@National Flag Desecration Day has been announced for June 15 (the 
day after Flag Day). This is a date to protest recent laws making this a crime, 
called by the National Flag Desecration Network. For more information send 
a large SASE to Angus T. McWhorter, 1010 Thoreau Ct., St. Louis, MO 
63146; please do not mention flags or the Network on the envelope. 

@CONCEPT is a musician’s festival held in Canada the week of July 1-7. 
For more information, contact Peter Riden, 4322 Cleroux, Chomeday, laval, 
Montreal, H7T 2E3, CANADA. 

®A Conference on Biostasis & Reentry is being held at Asilomar (a 
conference center in California) August 24-26, 1990. This will include both 
technical sessions and political discussions for advocates of cryonics. Prices 
for the weekend start at $135. Contact Lifepact, PO Box 18698, South Lake 
Tahoe, CA 95706; (916)-577-4746 for more information. 

@A national Lesbian Conference will take place April 24-28, 1991. The 
national planning office may be reached at PO Box 3057, Albany, NY 12203 
or call (518)-463-1051; the conference itself will take place in Atlanta. 

eThe North American Support-In will take place May 11-15, 1990. This 
is a national action, centered in New York City, of opposition to the psychiatric 
establishment and a promotion of alternatives. The East Coast contact is Janet 
Foner, 920 Brandt Ave., New Cumberland, PA 17070, (717)-774-6465; on the 
West Coast contact David Oaks, PO Box 11284, Eugene, OR 97440, 
(503)-341-0100. 

®lf you're interested in a pagan events, you should subscribe to Larry 

E Cornett’s calendar of festivals, gatherings, and so on. $4 per year from 9527 
Blake Ln. #102, Fairfax, VA 22031. 


MAIL ART 
eThe A.1. Waste Paper Co. Ltd. (71, Lambeth Walk, London SE11, 
. ENGLAND) sent me their Christmas Catalogue 1989, a lovely little micro-mini 
of collaged consumer items which make little or no sense, thanks to their 
fractured ad copy. They’ll trade for your own bizarre mail productions. 
August (PO Box 300, Mt. Bethel, PA 18343) is interested in exchanging 
bits of handmade mail art, with a stress on “absurdity”. 
@Brainstem is a mail art project being assembled by Cerebral Shorts (5/143 
Glenhuntly Road, Elwood 3184, AUSTRALIA). TO participate, send 100 copies 


HIGH INTELLIGENCE 
COUPLED ONTO ABIL- 
ITY TO LEARN ONLY 


SLOWLY. ExamPLE: ONLY A ZIP IS REQUIRED: 
CITY & STATE CONFUSES, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE 
YOU TO LEARN THAT? Frank, 61 S, Juuay #S 80219 







News 5 


of some artistic work on a single sheet of letter-sized paper. When contributions 
are acquired from 100 artists, each will get a set back in the mail. The 
deadline is February 29, so you have to hurry to be included. 

@Children is the theme of a mail art project being run by Achim Weigelt, 
Listerstr. 20, 4800 Bielefeld 14, WEST GERMANY. Size and material free, 
documentation to all participants. 

eEcstasy Productions (GPO Box 4644 TT, Melbourne 3001, AUSTRALIA) 
is a “new correspondence arts & prose magazine” looking for postcard sized 
graphics. Submit with SASE for reply. 

e@FaGaGaGa (PO Box 1382, Youngstown, OH 44501) is accepting “art, 
criticism, opinion & ranks on postmodernism”. 

1, @GM Artists (PO Box 300006, Minneapolis, MN 55403) want to collect 8 
/, x 11 mail art from gay artists for an open quarterly international show. 
Documentation free to all participants. 

@Oronzo Liuzzi (Via Mercato 20, 70033 Corato(BA), ITALY) sent me a 
card with lots of hand coloring and some silver ink on it. Real pretty, but 
enigmatic. 

@Man & High Tech is the announced theme of a visual poetry show 
being assembled by Dino Gobbo, Via Treviso 44, 31057 Silea, ITALY. No 
deadline. 

@Phoenix Michael (607 De La Vista, Santa Barbara, CA 93103) is offering 
packets of photocopy art for trade. The one he sent me was mostly devoted 
to making fun of our political leaders, from news stories on Dan Quayle’s 
spelling mistakes to phony Marine recruiting posters. 

eThe Rev. Rad-Chad with Kung-Fu Grip is still into swapping sketches 
and envelope stuffings, or will send you some of his drawings for half a 
buck: SU Box 269, Georgetown, TX 78626. 

@Sex & Death is the theme of a correspondence art show being put 
together by Joel 3 (PO Box 243, Huntington, WV 25707-0243. No returns, 
documentation to all participants. 

eJerry Todd (58 N. Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon, NY 10553) is into 
swapping original art, including lots of eraser stampings, and bits of cultural 
flotsam, with other mail artists. 

@Michael Voodoo (PO Box 12461, Lake Park, FL 33403) will bombard you 
with collaged postcards and other flotsam if you're fortunate enough to get 


on to his mailing list. 
OTHER NEWS 


The 1990 Poplust Calendar comes to you from a batch of wild cartoonists 
and cool people in the cool city of Seattle. Every month features comics, a 
shimmering hard to catch page of days, and some important dates, like the 
day John Dillinger died. Real decorative, and you can get a copy for only 
$3 from R. Morgan, 1812 N. 40th #C, Seattle, WA 98103. 

eThe 1990 Year of the Heart Calendar is available for $1 from Freddie 
Baer at c/o Mystopia, PO Box 410151, San Francisco, CA 94141-0151. It features 
a dozen collages from as many artists, including Freddie, Phil Lollar, and Jill 
Shutts. 

®Action Linkage is mutating into a non-dues all-volunteer organization, 
though the focus on future social change and how to get to the good society 
remains. Stay tuned for further details on getting involved via one of their 
Many to Many discussion forums. 

eDan Adams (PO Box 413, Decorah, IA 52101) sent copies of his “People 
without a whole lotta clothes on” postcard collection. It features 8 cards on 
reasonably heavy colorful stock with a variety of tasteful nudes from medievel 
to art deco. You can get the set for $2 & a #10 SASE. 

eThe Alliance for Non-Violent Action (Unit 235, 253 College St., Toronto, 
ONT, MST 1R5, CANADA) is an umbrella group linking together a number 
of activists and groups dedicated to non-violent means of bringing about social 
change. You can become a member for $25, or get more information on 
request. 

e@AMBERZINE is a forthcoming authorized zine about Roger Zelazny’s 
Amber multiverse. They'd like to hear from people who are avid fans of the 
books, interested in “really progressive diceless game systems”, or people 
who can write or draw things of interest to the above two groups. Contact 
Erick Wujcik, PO Box 519, Detroit, MI 48231-0519. 

@ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT COMMUNISM? is the title of a flyer 
available for SASE (drop in a dime to cover photocopy costs) from PO Box 
1083, Wheaton, IL. 60189. It suggests that Jesus Christ was the first agent of 


“We think so too!” 
JUST Send $2.00 for a button 
S AY __ or bumpersticker and 


N Oo brochure. $10 for 7 
Call 701-852-2822 for bulk 


prices. 


“EXCEPT FOR BEING 
HANGED BY THE FEET, 
the supine position is the 
worst conceivable position 


for labour and delivery.” 
(Caldyro-Barcia) 


“Spread the Word!” 


Minot Childbirth 
Information Project 
P.O. Box 3154 : 
Minot, ND, USA, 58702 








6 News 


the International Communist Conspiracy, looking back at the things He did 
and how unAmerican they are. Specify white (for copying) or blue (for 
postering) paper. 

®@Asphodel in Bandar Abbas Postycards come from Allan Horrocks at 846 
Thomas St., State College, PA 16803) and feature digitized video images 
captures with an Amiga computer. The two (out of a set of four) they sent 
me are on pastel card stock and show a pair of guys engaging in stylized 
motions. 

eJohn Ohliger of Basic Choices (730 W. Jefferson #1, Springfield, IL 62702) 
is seeking information on Loren Wheeler, one of the few Congressmen who 
actually voted against the US entering World War I. 

The BONNIE JO ENTERPRISES 1990 CALENDAR is available for $5, 
in limited quantities. It’s got nutty art at the top of each page (including 
pieces from Donna Kossy and Ahmed Fishmonger) and birthdate notations 
of famous people on almost every day. It’s all spiral bound. You can buy 
an annotation on next year’s calendar for only $1; for details or to order 
write PO Box 184, Comstock, MI 49041. Incidentally, Bonnie Jo is looking for 
more people to supply her with weird art, so some of you folks who've been 
filling my mailbox with drawings might like to get in touch. 

®BOX O’FUN comes from Graham Trievel, Box 481, Rt. 113, Lionville, 
PA 19353. Send a box, any size, “full of neat stuff”, and Graham will return 
it with stuff from his own collection. 

e@Burning Press (PO Box 18817, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118) has a new 
catalog out of their written and audio experimental works, available for SASE. 
They’ve done a lot of topflight works; if experioddica interests you, you 
should get this. 

eThe Calligraphic Button Catalogue at the Top of the Food Chain is the 
twelfth catalog of Nancy Lebovitz’s hand-lettered calligraphic buttons, with 
hundreds and hundreds of available slogans. Some of the new ones in this 
edition: “Incompetence is better than no competence at all” and “To err is 
human, to blame it on somebody else is poilitics”. Science fiction and computer 
programming are especially well interested, with prices starting at $1.75 and 
declining rapidly when you order in quantity. Even if you don’t like buttons, 
the catalog makes amusing reading. To get your copy, send $1.50 to Nancy 
at 400 Wollaston Ave. #C-6, Newark, DE 19711. 

—e Blanche Productions (Rt. 3 Box 614, Cut Off, LA 70345) is out 

th their 1990 LOUISIANA CATALOG, full of gifts, zydeco music, Cajun 

French lessons, and other things to buy having something to do with that 
state. You can get a catalog for $1.95. 

elt seems tikely that every living being on the planet has seen the 
intolerant, bigoted and unintentionally funny Chick Bible Tracts by now. But 
I finally saw a copy of their Fall 1989 Retail Catalog and it’s even more 
amazing. Tracts with your church’s name on the back, tracts in obscure 
Central African language, special prices on lots of 10,000 at a time...No price 
on the catalog itself, but try $1 to Chick Publications, PO Box 662, Chino, 
CA 91708-0662. 

eCitizens for Rational Traffic Laws, Inc. (6678 Pertzborn Rd., Dane, WI 
53529) is a nationwide lobbying group opposing 55MPH speed laws and 
testrictions on radar detectors, among other things. Membership is $20/yr. 

e@Community Capital Bank (PO Box 404920, Brooklyn, NY 11240) is halfway 
to its goal of raising $6 million to open a socially responsible bank in New 
. York City. If you have at least $5000 to invest, give them a call at (718)-768-9344 
or (800)-827-6699. 

Constance Enterprises sells a variety of fetish magazines, including 
bondage, rubber, and shoe-oriented items, as well as the “Dressing for Pleasure 
Video”. You can contact them at PO Box 43079, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043. 

®COOL TRAVELER (PO Box 11975, Philadelphia, PA 19145) wants people 
to know that the current issue is delayed, but will be out soon. 

©CWM, a new “magazine of the future” jointly edited by Geof Huth and 
David Kopaska-Merkel, is looking for work on the theme of “Water in all its 
forms” for the premiere issue. Work accompanied by an SASE may go to 
Geof at 225 State St. #451, Schenectady, NY 12305 or to David at 4801 
Cypress Creek #1004, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405. 

@DAGGER OF THE MIND (1317 Hookridge, El Pason, TX 79925) is a 
new zine which intends to feature sharp, vivid fiction in various genres plus 
non-fiction on new scientific breakthroughs. Send an SASE for full guidelines 
or $3.50 for the first issue, due out about March. 


SUBMIT! 


Our ‘zine is always looking for new 
and interesting submissions of: 


ART * POETRY * SHORT FICTION 
POLITICAL ESSAYS * CARTOONS 
SPECIAL INTEREST PIECES 


Send your submissions to; 


THE WONDERLAND TIMES 
P.O. Box 20794 
Baton Rouge, LA 70894 





















LIMITED EDITION POSTCARDS 
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PAYABLE TO D. SPARTA. 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


®DIABOLOS GRAPHICS EXCHANGE ($2 per subject, plus $1 postage 
from PO Box 4527, Portland, OR 97208) Those hip deathtrip dudes sent a 
selection from their archive of macabre clippings on subjects of evil poetry, 
torture, facial mutilation, sex crimes, forbidden literature, vampirism, and 
eschatology. The format is back-to-back photocopies from sources which are 
generally available (for the most part) at a good research library. I was 
disappointed that they did not provide any citations, as one might be inclined 
to follow up some of these subjects, if Diabolos were only to blaze the way. 
But instead, their reproductions are assembled devoid of context. The evil 

and vampirism pages were nicely designed, with text and eldritch 
illustrations that I recognize from a 1947 Sylvan Press edition of Baudelaire. 
Yet no provenance was indicated, the pages were just copied straight from 
the book, offered in an annoying (rather than tantalizing) vacuum. One 
assumes they could mine Les Fleurs du Mal for passages on absinthe and 
alcoholism, as they broaden their subject offerings, although this prospect 
makes. me nervous, and it’s more than sophistry; by not giving credit where 
it’s due, these photocopies are of diminished value, reduced to cheap, cheesy 
and deliberate apocrypha. In some cases, the excerpts were from a publication 
with a header, as with Daniel P. Mannix’s The History of Torture. Eschatology 
was summarized in a suite of four pages from a book (which book?) on the 
Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The facial mutilation series was from a 
book depicting the pre-' and postoperative conditions of people suffering a 
traumatic loss of face, the reconstructive and cosmetic challenges posed in 
treatment. All in all, this “largest library on death and related subjects in 
the world” is a mixed bag: some slim pickings, some solid black nuggets. 
(Guest review by D.S. Black) 

eEarth-Base Projex (PO Box 1328, Bloomington, IN 47402-1328) is looking 
for volunteers to help out in their construction of “self-powered self-sustaining 
closed-circuit home-based ecosystems”. $3 for a complete information packet. 

eEleutheros Prod. (PO Box 141, Bearville, NY 12409) has issued a couple 
more poster incitements. The first features Santa Claus urging people to 
“BURN YR MONEY”, while the other lays out the theory of the Permanent 
Universal Rent Strike. Try an SASE. 

®E&M Comics is starting two new video game zines. The first will be 
devoted to every system except for Nintendo; the second will be for handheld 
LCD games. They're looking for reviewers for both zines; interested parties 
should write to 18C Boyle Ave., Cumberland, RI 02864. 

e@Ephemera (275 Capp St., San Francisco, CA 94110) sells a whole mess 
of buttons, hundreds of them, with hippie artwork or snide slogans. You can 
get their latest catalog for 3 loose 25¢ stamps. 

eFEH! postcards are in full color, showing a derelict looking guy staring 
contemplatively out over a pastoral landscape. On the back there’s a short 
excerpt from one of the journal’s less odious poems. $1 for 7, $3 for 25, or 
$5 for 50 from PO Box 5806, Stn. B, Montreal, QC, H3B 4T1, CANADA. 

eThe Fellowship of Humanity (411 28th St., Oakland, CA 94609) is a Bay 
Area humanist group, interested in networking with similar groups in their 
own neck of the woods. For more information on their activities, try.an SASE. 

@Flea TV (90 Jericho Tpke. #136, Mineola, NY 11501) is starting a series 
of auction catalogs, ranging from movie memorabilia to men’s magazines to 
old issues of MAD to baseball cards. Write for more information. 

@FREEDOM, a venerable British anarchist publication, has announced 
plans to go fortnightly beginning in 1990. Subscriptions are now £23 for 24 
issues by overseas airmail, from Angel Alley, 84b Whitechapel High Street, 
London El 7QX, UK. 

@Mike Froerer (30,000 Hasley Cyn. Rd. #33, Saugus, CA 91384) once 
again sent me one of his hand-made comic strip Christmas cards this year. 
In between heavy covers and saddle-stitched, this one follows Santa’s attempt 
to help out Jerry Lewis in his search for an important disease cure. For $2.50 
you can get a copy yourself. 

“Get Conscious!” is the slogan on the inside cover of the wacky 1990 
calendar done by Jim Siergey and Carole Sobocinski ($4 from PO Box 3433, 
Merchandise Mart Stn., Chicago, IL 60654). With funny full-page art for every 
month and a birth, death, or bit of wisdom (“Dirty snow melts faster than 


clean snow”, “Moronic Convergence - 1987”) this one provides plenty of laffs 
for the buck. 

@Graphic Gratification Update is the comics catalog of Chris Duffy (PO 
Box 91, Makanda, IL 62958). Send an SASE & Age Statement for the latest 


2-page update. 


eThe Grey Cat Official Tour of Jersey City 1990 Calendar 
eatures photos of Jersey City landmarks with cats drawn in, 
quotes about strange occurrences, and lots of notes about dates 
in history, from Paul McCartney’s birthday to the day a UFO 
as seen over Nebraska. They send it out for Pree, though I 
suspect it wouldn’t hurt to throw in a buck or two postage, 
and they really want cool or interesting dates for next year’s 
edition “especially anything about UFOs, ghosts or any other 
eird kinds of occurrences. The address to write to is Snevil, 
PO Box 16430, Jersey City, NJ 07306. 
Guillotine Press (PO Box 2730, Long Beach, CA 90801) 
as issued almost a dozen postcards. Some, of them feature 
etry (Todd Mecklem and Cheryl Townsend among the 
‘ontributors) and some small. bits of art. No, price that I can 
see, but a buck should get you a couple. 
e@HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR VERY OWN UNDERGROUND 
EWSPAPER was a pamphlet put out by the Underground 
Press Service quite a few years ago. The prices are outdated, 
he organization is poor, and some of the revolutionary paranoia 


— 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


is a bit much, but there’s still useful ideas here. If you want a copy, Joe 
Lane (PO Box 4083, Terre Haute, IN 47804-4083) will send you one for $1. 

efll-Vis (PO Box 1421, New Brunswick, NJ 08903) is still chuming out 
more colorful postcards at $1 and a stamp for 7 or $2 and 2 stamps for 15 
cards. Betty Page, psychedelic art, and classic booze ads are among their 
latest goodies. 

@David Lee Ingersoll has his 1990 Calendar out, full of crazy punkers, 
elusive lizards, nutty annotations, and his wonderful artwork. I loved last 
year’s edition and I’m really glad to see that he did another one. $10 for a 
calendar, or for a 25¢ stamp you can get his latest catalog. Write David at 
PO Box 15082, Santa Rosa, CA 95402. 

eThe Institute for International Cooperation and Development (PO Box 
103, Williamstown, MA 01267) sponsors group educational tours to places like 
Namibia, Nicaragua and the USSR. Participants study together for two months, 
travel for five, and then study for two more, at a cost of roughly $7,000. If 
you're interested, write for their current catalog/schedule. 

©The Institute of Advanced Thinking (22 Salmond St., Belfast, ME 04915, 
no phone) offers free tent and sleeping bag space from May 1 through 
November I to traveling mail artists, artists, photographers, dramatists, poets, 
writers and crafters. They have permanent archives for literary productions, 
review small press, and offer one to one guidance. “No smoking, no drugs, 
no sex. Free.” 

©The Intergalactic House of Fruitcakes (c/o Jeffe, 1 Shelton Ple., North 
Street, Heavitree, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2RE, UK) sends out ritual and 
propaganda to faithful followers to better organize their worship of Otis and 
whoever else they like at the moment. A few bucks cash will probably add 
you to the mailing list. 

@The International Book Project (1440 Delaware Ave., Lexington, KY 
40505)is a group that sends used and new books out to students all over the 
world who don’t have any. If you have books to donate, or funds for shipping, 
they'd certainly like to hear from you. 

eThe International Music Workers Union (PO Box 1162, San Francisco, 
CA 94101) is organizing a boycott of pay to play*clubs in the SF Bay area, 
with pickets and posters to help spread the word. They've also recently 
co-sponsored a show of art opposing the War on Drugs. The latter has enabled 
San Francisco to join New York on the list of cities trying to enforce absurd 
laws, as Union founder Ron Gould got busted for postering in late December. 
Meanwhile the underground propaganda campaign against Ron Gould 
continues with a mix of fantasy and distorted fact, apparently fueled by 
members of the WWMU, including Tin-Ear from HAPPY THRASHER. 
Someone is also ordering lots of merchandise and credit cards in his name, 
and although I have seen no documentary proof as to who it could be, the 
WWMU seems likely. 

@Mykel Board says that Japanese Comics are the best thing about the 
country where he’s living for the moment (301 Hoyconfolt Sobudai, 3-4774-153 
Sobudai, Zama-shi, Kanagawa 228, JAPAN). So he’s willing to send them to 


“-you. He sent me a copy of BUSINESS JUMP, a comic for “business boys”, 


with some violence and softcore porn in it—300 pages of comics in a language 
I can’t read. You can get the same for $8 surface or $11 air. He’s also selling 
“more intense” sex comics for $10/$13, or the infamous RAPEMAN comics 
for $12/$15. Send cash or IMO to his address above. Or you can write if you 
have questions—but enclose 2 IRCs if you expect an answer. Mykel is also 
working on the next issue of NOTHING BUT RECORD REVIEWS; you can 
send him tapes to the above address, but please hold off on records and 
CDs as he has no turntable access at the moment. 

eThe Kindred Community is Des Moines, a cooperative housing project 
for the homeless, is shutting down due to lack of involved people. 

@Kurluk (PO Box 6186, Baltimore, MD 21231-6186) offers one-stop shopping 
for magical supplies, candles, incenses, Tarot readings, and related things. 
His latest Catalog & News Bulletin is available for $1, including some poetry 
and reviews as well as prices. 

@Left Bank , a premiere source of anarchist and related books, has a new 
address: 4142 Brooklyn NE, Seattle, WA 98105. Their new phone is 
(206)-632-5870. For a buck or two, you should be able to get their current 


catalog. 
i ~ Books (West Towan House, Porthtowan, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 
8AX, UK) has a list of cryonics and immortalist zines and societies in the 
US_and UK available on request—'twould probably be polite to send an IRC. 
““®LUNO, the Learnign Unlimited Network of Oregon, is the brainchild of 
Gene Lehman, who may be reached at 31960 SE Chin St., Boring, OR 97009. 
Gene delights in life-long learning, wordplay, political commentary from a 
thinking liberal point of view, and other exercises for the brain. Drop him a 
buck to see his latest ramblings and games. : 
~®Magickal Days is the name of a calendar which shows the progress of 
the moon and other planets and gives guidance for magickal workings for 
each day of the year from March 1990 through March 1991. For example, 
October 23, 1990 notes “Sun enters Scorpio. Magickal Working - Journey - A 
Beacon”. You can get your copy of this spiral-bound calendar from The Ethnic 
Market, PO Box 3127, Morgantown, WV 26505 for $8 postpaid. 

@McOne Press (PO Box 50174, Austin, TX 78763) is soliciting material for 
several future publications. THE ICARUS REVIEW wants material relating to 
Men’s issues, while ALL AVAILABLE LIGHT is searching for spiritual 
literature. 

®@Mondo Tofu (222 S. College Ave., Oxford, OH 45056) has produced a 
postcard, sort of an artist’s conception of Reagan added to Mt. Rushmore, 
complete with Teflon halo. Send a couple of stamps for a copy, I guess. 


News 7 





silence 


@The National Native American Co-op is a group of some 2700 Native 
American artists organized together to market their wares. You can get their 
latest 344-page directory for $21.95 from them at PO Box 5000, San Carlos, 
AZ 85550-0301. 

I ran across two addresses for the Neo-American Church, the religion 
foxinded by Art Kleps holding that LSD and other psychedelics are sacraments. 
These are about a year and a half old, and I haven't verified them, so you 
take your chances: Chief Boo Hoo Art Kleps, Gravestein 119, 1103 BH, 
Amsterdam ZO, NETHERLANDS; and Neo-American Church of Texas, PO 
Box 3473, Austin, TX 78764. 

eThe NeoGnostic Church of Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe (Name Withheld 
By Request, PO Box 2375, Placerville, CA 95677) is an esoteric offshoot of 
the Discordian Church, or so it appears from the tenor of their propaganda. 
$5 will make you a member, or an SASE may get you more information. 

®@®NEW PATHWAYS (PO Box 863994, Plano, TX 75086-3994) has announced 
plans to go to bi-monthly publication this year, starting with the March issue. 
They ise full-color covers, more interior art, and other goodies, as well 
as the usual crop of innovative SF stories. 

®Ben Obina (2 Steeles Ave. W, Box 125, Thormhill, ONT, L4J 1A1, 

CANADA) has had an implant put in his brain by space aliens, who are 
now revealing all sorts of things to him. You can get a transcript of his latest 
conversation with his “cosmic informant” for free. 
—@The Official KHK 1990 Calendar comes from Herb Jue, who puts out 
thé zine KVINDE HADER KLUB. It features a collage of Chinese calendar 
pages, photos, and a map of Manhattan annotated as to things Herb thinks 
you should know. The back, at least of my copy, consists of old math exams. 
You can get a copy for 25¢ & an SASE from Herb at 144 Hester St. #8, New 
York, NY 10013. 

eY. Olivers writes “I'm running an underground forwarding & remailing 
service, inexpensive and confidential.”. You can contact it at 61 Clarendon 
St., Boston, MA 02116. 

@PARAGRAPH “is a new fiction magazine which will present the best of 
Canadian contemporary fiction, as well as interviews, essays, criticism, profiles, 
opinion, literary treats and book reviews”. For further guidelines, you can 
contact them at 137 Birmingham St., Stratford, ONT, N5A 2T1, CANADA. 

©The Personal Management Agency (Christopher B. Martin, 2108 Jefferson 
Park Ave. #A, Charlottesville, VA 22903-3008) is a new talent agency 
representing clients in the Charlottesville, Richmond, Washington and New 
York areas. 

ePleneurethics (5900 S. 12th St., Tacoma, WA 98465) “may be thought 
of as the school of thought that teaches a life style compatible with complete 
cerebellar competence guided by an ethical and wise mentality.” They offer 
college scholarships at some Pacific Northwest schools, and will probably send 
you a flyer for an SASE. 








8 News 


@Judy Pokras (c/o Video Wave, PO Box 571, Peck Slip Station, Brooklyn, 
NY 10272) is available to do fanzine drawings on a pay scale to be negotiated. 
Some of her work will probably appear here sooner or later. 

©The Right-Brain Exchange is a group of folks who get together to explore 
the creative arts as a way to personal growth. To get in touch, write to Lee 
Glickstein & Joy-Lily at 116 Coleridge St., San Francisco, CA 94110. 

©Got the Christmas catalog from Rip Off Press, major distributors of classic 
underground comics. Their new offerings include the collected Fat Freddy's 
Cat book, sure to delight lovers of that series. A buck will get you on their 
mailing list at PO Box 4686, Auburn, CA 95604. 

®Sabotage (96 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10009) is a new anarchist 
bookstore and organizing center on New York’s Lower East Side, which they 
call “Loisaida”. They're looking for contributions to help them increase their 
selection, and are in the front lines of the struggle to protect squatters and 
the denizens of Tompkins Square Park from encroaching gentrification. 

@Science Fiction Mailing Lists (40 Welles Ave., Dorchester, MA 02124) 
can supply various specialized mailing lists, including SF fans and progressive 

nizations, at $60 per thousand names. 

@SEE HEAR, the fanzine store in New York, also sells zines and stuff 
by mail. You can get the current catalog by sending $1 to 59 E. 7th St., New 
York, NY 10003. 

@Sonic Bloom is a combination mineral spray and sound treatment which 
is said to cause vastly increased produce yields. For details and a sheaf of 
clippings, write to Dan Carlson, Scientific Enterprises Inc., 708-119th Ln. NE, 
Blaine, MN 55434. It certainly looks as if he has something here, although 
I'd like to see some more careful scientific analyses and less anecdotal evidence. 

eThe St. Priapus Church 1990 Phone Buddies Directory is out, with 
listings of gay men who like to engage in sexual banter by either phone or 
mail. $10 will get you the directory and a 3-month membership in the club. 
~—eTechnicians of the Sacred (1317 N. San Fernando Blvd. #310, Burbank, 
CA 91504) sent me their catalogs of magical and ritual things for sale. They’re 
strongest in voodoo, but also carry everything from Buddhist altars to Tarot 
cards. Oils, candles, robes, books, audio instructional tapes, you name it, it’s 
here. $7.50 will bring you well over 100 pages of catalogs. 

TIME WORM, “The Magazine for Misfits”, is coming back, and looking 
for prose that explores the magical side of daily life, including dreams, visions 
and epiphanies. Send submissions to Sean Wolf Hill, 2730 Monroe-Concord 
Rd., Troy, OH 45373. 

©The Tone Line Process “is a method of converting a black & white or 
color image to a line impression by photographic operations, The conversion 


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image from "THE CRY" ; 
© 1788 POG Productions Washington,DC. 
T SHIRTS available SM UL XL #12.00 
P.O. BOX 4864, ARLINGTON,VA. 22206-0864 
DEALERS: DISCOUNTS FOR BULK QUANTITIES 
DECALS - $/ 2 ~ posTCARDS- GO4 


“LYTHS-L NALLTYMAdGD* d3LNIYNdONVH 







Edvard Munch 














FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


will produce an effect similar to a pen and ink sketch.” For details, write to 
Jim Dapkus, Route 1, Box 247, Westfield, WI 53964. 

Joseph A. Uphoff, Jr. (1025 Garner St., D, Space 18, Colorado Springs, 
CO 80905) has recently received his black belt in karate, and is now active 
in designing new kata (formal exercises). He has instructions for quite a 
number of these already available. A buck should get you some samples. 

eJouni Waarakangas (Poste Restante, 00980 Helsinki 98, FINLAND) has 
a set of four postcards available for $1 postpaid anywhere in the world. 
They’re good examples of his work, detailed drawings of people with mystical 
connotations. These will definitely confuse your correspondents. 
—s9Waxman Candles (1405 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS 66044) offers a 
gréat many different innovative candles for sale by mail, including silhouette 
candles, multi-colored and multi-scented candles, skulls and more. A buck 
should get their latest catalog. 

©The Weedeater is looking for other anti-authoritarians in Florida. You 
can contact them at USF #3146, Tampa, FL 33620. 

Got a poster and a pamphlet fro the Word Strike Action Committee 
(PO Box 1500, New York, NY 10009): “From January 1, 1991 to December 
31, 1993, don’t say ‘art’ unless you mean ‘money’. 50¢ should land you 
both. 

@WWMU is the World Wide Music Union (PO Box 2246, Anaheim, CA 
92814), a group of musicians in Southern California and elsewhere banded 
together for mutual aid. They’ve been most active in actual gig-related stuff, 
like hooking bands up for cheap shows and supporting the drive against pay 
to play. Dues are $3 per month, at least for locals, and they put out a 
newsletter when they have time. In December they called a “Unity Picnic” 
to organize a collective to do some publishing, shows and demos. 


kkk tk 


FACTSHEET FIVE PROJECTS 


©A couple of things which used to be FF projects are now being handled 
by other people. The Gemstone File, that medley of modern conspiracy theory 
running about 90 pages, is available for $9 from Ron Bonds, 419 S. Columbia 
Dr., Decatur, GA 30030. And Martti Koski‘s pamphlet MY LIFE DEPENDS 
ON YOU, telling of his own experiences with mind control at the hands of 
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, may be ordered for $1 from Scott Tinch, 
11401 Saga Ln., Knoxville, TN 37931. 

©A short list of fanzine and other resources for prisoners is available to 
any prisoner for the asking. Just drop me a line requesting a copy. 

ef now have available for other publishers a list of distributors and stores 
who would like to see new zines for possible sale. This includes all the folks 
who sell FF, whether directly or to stores, and with as many details as 
possible on what they want and what their terms are as I know. Send me 
an SASE (be sure to tell me what it’s for!) and I'll send you a copy. Those 
who have received a copy in the last six months or so should note that I 
have finally located Amok at their new address (4005 Sunset Blvd., Los 
Angeles, CA 90029) and they’re back in my good graces. 

eThe collected WHY PUBLISH? book, including most of the words 
published on this subject in the first 30 issues of FF, as well as new material 
from Miekal And, Joel Biroco, Stewart Brand and Merritt Clifton, is now 
available for only $3.50 postpaid. Don’t miss this; there were only 500 printed 
and I probably won’t do any more. 

®The collected book of Anni Ackner’s columns is out at last!. The collection 
is called NOBODY LOVES A VISUAL ARTS CRITIC, and it features all of 
her writings from FF, as well as four new columns (unavailable elsewhere), 
an introduction by Elayne Wechsler and graphics by Freddie Baer. 134 pages 
long, you can get a copy book rate for $4, or first class for $5.50, 75% of 
the profits are going to Anni, so I'd really like to sell a lot of these. Think 
what they'll be worth in twenty years when she’s a wealthy mainstream 
author. 

®@FACTSHEET FIVE T-Shirts, designed by Freddie Baer, are now available 
for a measley $8.50 postpaid. The only color available is yellow, but it’s a 
yellow that will knock your eyes back into your skull, not some wimpy pastel 
color. Well, actually, the second edition is a bit wimpier (so you early buyers, 
you have a collectors’ item!), but still beautiful. Specify size or we'll send 
you whatever we feel like. Think of the possibilities for starting a conversation! 

eI now have a new set of FACTSHEET FIVE ads available, also typeset 
and put together by Freddie Baer. In the future I may swap or pay for some 





New Dan Quayle Watch! 
Get ready for the 1996 
ticket — Quayle and 
Doughboy! Color, quartz, 
$29. And for $5. check 
out the magazine behind 
this nonsense: The Jar, 
#T-1, 2042 Peach Orchard 
Dr., Falls Church, VA 22043 





a 









FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


of these to be published, but meanwhile if you want to give me a free plug 
write and I'll send you a copy. 

eI am still offering the FACTSHEET FIVE mailing list on self-adhesive 
labels. This issue’s list of around 3600 names is available for $130. If you 
prefer, you can get the list on plain paper for $100. I can also provide 
specialty lists (all fanzines, all distributors, all music zines, all artists, or most 
anything else you can come up with) for 5¢ a name on labels or 3¢ a name 
on paper. 

I am also prepared to offer the mailing list on IBM-PC compatible DSDD 
diskettes. The mailing list is archived on one diskette and I'll include the 
shareware DBMS I use (PC-FILE+) on three more diskettes. You must have a 
hard disk to access the FF mailing list! If you are interested in getting the actual 
text of the zine on diskette, please contact me to discuss appropriate hardware 
and software, or check the FF BBS. You can get the mailing list set for $18. 


elf anyone doesn’t want their name given out on mailing labels or diskette, 
please let me know. ; 

eThe FF ZINE EXCHANGE is still running, although there’s a bit of a 
material shortage right now and it remains, as always, a low priorit compared 
to actually publishing the magazine. Zine Editors: If you're at all interested 
in having samples of your zine go to people who don’t even know you exist, 
send as many as you want to me to distribute. The rest of you: Send me 
an SASE with 25¢ to $2.40 postage and I'll stuff it with whatever I have 
laying about ($2.40 is enough to mail a couple of pounds in the country, so 
use a decent-sized envelope [10x13 is a good size]: two pounds is about 8 
issues of FF, OK?). You should also take a look at a rate chart; while $2.40 
will cover postage on two pounds, $2.30 is only enough for eleven ounces. 
I'd recommend springing for the full two pounds. You might also take note 
of four similar offers: 

Dallas Swan’s (PO Box 270, Horntown, VA 23395) offer to fill up large 
SASEs with as many zines as they will hold; 

Jim Testa’s (151 First Ave., Box A., New York, NY 10003) Demo Xchange 
of band demo tapes, also available for a few dollars postage; 

R. Wherever’s (11 Bayberry Ln., Cohasset, MA 02025) offer to fill up large 
SASEs with as many zines as they will hold. 

and Rosemary West’s (PO Box 8059, Mission Hills, CA 91346) offer of 
personalized computer-generated poetry for 50¢ an ounce, up to five 
pounds—send your name and the names of a few friends to assure 
personalization. 

Anyhow, remember, send a SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE to 
minimize the work I have to do. I mean it. The next person who sends a 
blank envelope and a check, instead of buying the stamps himself and pasting 
them on, is going to get something nasty in the mail. If he gets anything 
at all. OK, OK, I'll make an exception for those of you in foreign countries: 
just send me a check or cash and a self-addressed envelope and I'll do the 
rest. Those out of the country can supply up to $4.50 worth of postage, since 
the rates are higher. Those in the country should stop using such obviously 
glued stamps or I’m going to start pitching your envelopes in the trash. This 
has already happened to some people stupid enough to ignore what I’ve said! Use 
mint stamps only!! (Look, it’s OK to glue down un-used stamps; what I’m 
upset about it people putting the glue over the top of them so they can be 





The Quayle Quarterly 








A Heartbeat Away 











—s=2-- An important Guy 


——————— 





Inmde this [sous 
fag oe Ome} 






Cacty rer Castawe. @ + 



















ne wore 


Dan Quayle is 
Getting Good 
Grades 


from conservatives - can 
you picture him as our 
next president? 


Humor, critical analysis, cartoons, and more. 


Send $12 for a1 year subscription/$3.95 for a sample issue 
The Quayle Quarterly, PO Box 8593 
Brewster Station, Bridgeport, CT 06605 


News 9 


re-used. If this doesn’t make sense to you, call me). And please be patient; 
Zine Exchange envelopes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Thanks 
to Cris Rowles, we are now caught up, or rather as caught up as we can 
be: the stack of zines ran out before the stack of envelopes, with the result 
that people who sent envelopes after late. September are so far out of luck. 
PUBLISHERS, we need more stuff! 

A few clarifications about the Zine Exchange: No, I am not going to send 
you any back issues of FACTSHEET FIVE. No, you may not request a specific 
zine you saw reviewed here; that copy is in the archives, and that’s where 
it’s staying. You can request a specific type of zine, but often I cannot fill 
requests; it depends on what's been sent to me recently for distribution. 

eI put together an index to each issue, usually about a 24-page pamphlet. 
If you want to see a copy, send me $1.50. To get it every issue, you should 
sign up for a library rate subscription. 

e@HOW TO PUBLISH A FANZINE is my first book. In it I reveal darned 
near everything that I learned in ten years of small publishing, from production 
through printing and binding to the mails to promotion and financing. It’s 
91 pages perfect-bound, published by Loompanics, but I'll send you a copy 
of your very own—autographed even—for $6 postpaid if you buy it from me. 


I’ve been following the reviews of this book with some amusement, so 
it’s probably time to clear the air. Yes, the book is overpriced compared to 
the usual fanzine production; so is just about everything Loompanics has 
published, and I’m undercutting my publisher's price as far as I can. Yes, I 
know a lot more about fanzines than is contained in the book; the manuscript 
was started about five years ago. Yes, there is a revised version coming, 
probably around the start of 1991—and yes, I will arrange for those who 
purchase this edition to get the new one at a lower price. All satisfied? 


ZINES 


Sometimes I get publicity for zines without getting copies of the zines 
themselves. Here’s the news on a few items that I haven't read for myself: 

@CONSPIRACY THEORY (Jacek Staniszewski, Literatow 14A/1, 05-520 
Konstancin, POLAND) is a forthcoming zine most interested in postmoder- 
nism, syberpunk, hardcore, situationism, Kathy Acker and other fringe topics. 
They're looking for contacts & contributions from around the world. Please 
do not write the zine name on the envelope! 

@DARK ALLEY ($2.75 from Paul V. DeCrice, 409 Hixson Ave., Syracuse, 
NY 13206) is a new zine, set to debut this spring, “devoted to the presentation 
of the most jolting, horrible, and out-and-out scary poetry and art in existence.” 

@DENDRON NEWS ($15/10 issues from PO Box 11284, Eugene, OR 97440) 
is a magazine probing abuses in the psychiatric care system and exploring 
alternative options for humane emotional support. 

@GLOBAL VILLAGE VOICE (TMC, 25 Broome House, Pembury Road, 
London E5 8LL, UK) will debut in February, 160 “Incendiary” pages of 
international text and images for $5 postpaid. #2, in March is to be on the 
theme “Circus, Carnival and Freaks”, and they’re looking for material. 

@INFOCULT ($2 from PO Box 3124, East Hampton, NY 11937): That's 
the special pre-publication price for this coming “Journal of Strange 
Information” that promises “the Elvis/Manson/Scientology Connection, strange 
midget stories, violent India” and more. 

eJAMAICA TRAVEL WISDOM ($1 from Tom 
Sinclair, 3855 W. 38 St., Cleveland, OH 44109) is set 
to debut in April, with advice for those who want to 
travel in that country. Tom is very interested in hearing 
from those who can provide such advice. 

@LEGEND ($12 from Janet P. Reedman, 1036 
Hampshire Rd., Victoria, BC, V8S 4S9, CANADA) is a 
fanzine of fiction centered on Sherwood Forest and 
Robin Hood. : 

@MESSAGE POST ($1 from PO Box 190, Philomath, 
OR 97370) is a zine for those into “portable dwell- 
ings”—tipi, camper, backpacked shelters, and more. 

@SHATTERMAC ($18/yr from Erik Weems, 115 East 
Ln., Hot Springs, AR 71901) is a new Macintosh 
computer zine., and from what I’ve seen of the page 













Suna The Quayle Quarterly Good Vibrations 

Cainer: ts dedicated to kéepin is a catalog of 

fasta is dedicated to keeping a sBeioye 
aloes watchful eye... The Sexuality 


Library offers 
over 200 books 
and videos. 

Our approach Is 
frlendly, feminist 


and fun. 
Send $2 for 
LIBRARY-GOOD - $3 for both, to: 
VIBRATIONS 
Open Enterprises, 1210 Valencia St. #FF 
San Francisco, CA 94110 






10 : News 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


comps it'll be technically oriented but readable. They’re looking for contributors @STRIP CORE (Katerina Mirovic, Celjska 14, 61000 Ljubljana, YUGOS- 
and programs to review. LAVIA) is a new zine for all kinds of art, from music through video, comics, 













GETTING ZINES 


Just a few hints to consider when you’re writing away for fanzines: 

elf I list a name in the address for a zine, you ought to make checks or money orders out to that 
name rather than the zine name. If a zine has odd payment requirements, I try to note this in the 
address section of the listing. In general, cash is preferable to money orders which are preferable to 
checks. 

@On a related topic, when I put a question mark after the price it means that I’m guessing because 
the zine editors didn’t list a price. 

®I list single copy rates whenever I can find them, otherwise I try to indicate how many issues your 
subscription covers. If I put something like ”$10/yr” it means I can’t tell how many issues come out in 
a year. 

Malt I separate issue numbers with a dash, they're single issues; a slash indicates two-in-one issues. 
So, for example, ”#7-11/12” indicates that I received #7, a double issue containing #11 and #12, and 
everything in between. Prices given are for one issue, not for a set of all the issues reviewed, unless 
otherwise indicated. 

@On zines with a price under $1, it really helps to include a few stamps for postage. “SASE” means 
self-addressed stamped envelope: #10 with 25¢ postage unless otherwise specified. 

@Don’t send loose coins in an envelope. If you want to send coins, tape them to an index card and 
wrap a piece of paper around that. And remember that there’s a postal surcharge on envelopes more 
than 1/4 inch thick. 

®Canadians generally don’t mind receiving U.S. funds, but for other countries you should think 
about alternative payment. Foreign currency is available at larger banks, and IRCs (International Reply 
Coupons, which can be exchanged for stamps almost anywhere in the world) at your post office. Foreign 
MOs are also available from the post office, but can take forever to get. Sending checks to other countries 
is not a good idea; bank exchange charges can be outrageous. 

“Age Statement” means that you should send along a signed note saying that you're over 18 (or 
over 21, if you are) to help the publisher avoid legal hassles associated with distributing sexually-explicit 
material. 

©”’The Usual” refers to the traditional method of obtaining SF fanzines without sullying oneself with 
cash. Generally this includes trading other zines, writing locs, contributing articles or art, or being 
recipient of a whim. These days $1 is often accepted as the equivalent to these more active approaches. 

el'd appreciate it if you’d mention FACTSHEET FIVE when ordering zines you saw reviewed here. 
It helps us all in the long run, as the more credibility I build up the more fine zines I'll be able to 
bring to your attention. 

elf you have any problems with a zine please let me know. I'll be happy to contact publishers in 
cases of non-receipt. 99% of the time it’s just a case of things being lost in the mail. 

elf you have time, any zine publisher enjoys hearing comments on the zine he has sent you. This 
is especially true if you didn’t like it; we all like to improve. Even a simple note of thanks can make 
a publisher's day, though. 

@Many zine publishers print small quantities, so you may not be able to get the exact issue that I 
reviewed. If you must have that particular issue, say so, and be prepared to pay extra. Otherwise it’s 
best just to request the most recent or the next issue and save trouble for everyone. And be patient; 
if the current issue is all gone, it may take a while. 

®And since it may take a while, the envelope your order came in may get lost. Make sure your 
address is on the letter itself! Otherwise you may not get your copy despite the best intentions of the 
publisher. 

®Most zine publishers are willing to exchange their zines for others, so I generally don’t mention 
this in listings unless I know they don’t swap. But use some discretion—a 150-page typeset music 
publication is unlikely to swap with a 4-page xeroxed newsletter on Central American farming. And 
remember, publishers are under no obligation to respond to unsolicited zines, so if you can’t afford to 
give away the copy, don’t send it. 


® ® 
: COMING SOON.... : 
@ 6 
eo ® 
: QUADRA-COLOR : 
e e 
8 Ey 
Ps For newspapers, inserts, brochures ° 
® newsletters, books, magazines ® 
6 e 
a If you're serious ® 
® ® 
& WORN about ° 
: color, id 
- PRINTING . 
‘é CALL US: 459-8455 ‘ 
: WORLD PRINTING 1104 CENTRAL AVE. ALBANY, N.Y. 12205 : 





and anything else. Their first issue is due out in 
May and they'd like to hear from anyone interested 
in contributing to it. 


THOSE FUNNY NUMBERS 


What the little stuff in parentheses after each 
Zine review do is tell you how big the zine is. First 
‘omes a letter for the size of the paper, or at least 
lose to it: 


A3 A3 size, about 11 1/2 by 16 1/4 
A4 A4 size, about 8 1/4 by 11 1/2 
A5 A5 size, about 5 3/4 by 8 1/4 
D Digest, 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 
HL Half Legal, 7 by 8 1/2 or 4 1/4 by 14 
HS Half Standard, 4 1/4 by 11 
bi Legal, 8 1/2 by 14 
M Mini, 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 
MM Micro, smaller than mini 


OOversized, larger than tabloid or odd-sized 
Q Quarto, 8 by 10 
$ Standard, 8 1/2 by 11 
T Tabloid, usually 11 by 17 on newsprint 
Next comes a number, which is the number of 
pages. Last there may be a suffix: “t” for typeset 
or laser-printed, or “r” for photo-reduced type. 


ADVERTISING 
FACTSHEET FIVE advertising space is available 
ps follows: 


Full Page 7 1/2 by 9 3/4 
Half Page 7 1/2 by 4 3/4 
Half Page 3 3/4 by 9 3/4 
Quarter. Page 3 3/4 by 4 3/4 
Eighth Page 3 3/4 by 2 1/4 
Twelfth Page 2 1/44 by 2 


Copy should be submitted as camera-ready, in 
he size it is to run. For sizes not on the list, please 
all me. Please note: a standard business card is an 
eighth-page ad. Current rates are as follows: 


Back Cover with Second Color $190.00 
Full Page with Second Color $170.00 
Full Page $145.00 
Half Page $80.00 
Quarter Page $50.00 
Eighth Page $25.00 
Twelfth Page $12.50 


Ads which are paid in advance for two or more 
insertions may take a 20% discount from the above 
prices—and are protected from price rises during the 
ife of the ad. This discount does not apply to twelfth 
page ads. This discount also does not apply to ads 
ith a second color. 

Yes, these rates are up by about 20% as we go 
nto 1990. But the circulation is up 40% since the 
last price rise. I think they’re still reasonable. If you 
don’t, call me; perhaps we can work something out. 

Ad space needing a second color, either back 
cover or interior, should be reserved with me before 
sending in copy, as this space is obviously limited. 
Other ads need not reserve space in advance, though 
you’re welcome to do so. Generally, I do not trade 
advertising with other publishers, though I make 
rare exceptions for those with a large circulation in 
areas that I don’t ordinarily reach. 





CB 1989 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 





Although it does not “officially” exist, the Small Press Support 
Foundation begin operations this past December. The reason for its 
existence is that I feel keenly the amount of help I’ve gotten from 
all the other small pressers out there in recent years, and wanted 
to give some back to the community. So I took $500 from the 
FACTSHEET FIVE profits for 1989 and, with the help of a volunteer 
Board of Directors, gave it away to fanzine projects we thought 
deserved it. The first year’s awards went to Ace Backwords, Bob 
Z., SAMISDAT, PEACEMAKER, Action Linkage, Denise Dee, 
PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER, and STAR ROUTE. 

Some time during 1990 we hope to incorporate the SPSF and 
obtain tax-exempt status. Meanwhile, 2¢ from the purchase of each 
FF will automatically go to the SPSF (unless you write to tell me 
you'd prefer your two cents worth back). When we are able to take 
donations, I will certainly announce and encourage them. 

Now, we're not going to be giving grants to people who ask 
for them. We’re going to give them to people we think deserve 
them—more like the MacArthur Foundation than the National 
Endowment for the Arts, for example. So don’t bother to write us 
just to tell us you need money. But if you know someone else in 
the small press who has given a lot to our community, who has 
been having some problems, and who deserves a helping hand—by 
all means, drop us a line. 

Speaking of money, here’s the final numbers from 1989. I believe 
in being open about what's going on here; it helps people judge 
whether the cover price is really necessary. 


1989 income $41,342.78 
1989 expenses $38,488.81 
1989 profit (before SPSF donation) $2,853.97 


I put in a total of 3,514 hours on the magazine during the past 
year, which amounts to an hourly wage of about 81¢—nearly twice 
what it was last year, but still short of adequate when you realize 
this is my major source of income. It’s numbers like these that led 
me to raise the cover price to $3. My budget for 1990 currently calls 
for a pre-tax profit of around $12,000—so I’m going to remain 
economically marginal. But I love what I’m doing, which makes it 
all worthwhile. 

For newcomers, I want to mention once again that the short 
reviews in FF should not be thought of as authoritative pronounce- 
ments. I’m not infallible. I do the best job I can to hook readers 
up with things they would be interested in reading. Think of FF as 
an early warning system. After reading for a few issues, you should 


AZditorial 11 


be able to judge my tastes well enough to know how they fit in 
with your own. 

The 1990 cover competititon is over. If I selected your cover to 
appear, you will have heard from me by now. If I didn’t, sorry. 
The competition was stiff, and with 40 artists submitting ideas, I 
did not send notes to all those who didn’t quite make the grade. 
I’m going to keep these covers on hand, and will be in touch with 
some of you later about adapting them for other purposes. And 
watch for the 1991 cover competition towards the end of this year. 

Occasionally I mention things in this section because I don't 
know where else to put them even though they’re important. Such 
is the case of Dewayne Readus, a young, black, blind activist in 
Springfield, Minois. Last year Dewayne went on the air with a 
one-watt FM radio station, broadcasting music of interest to the 
black community, publicizing incidents of police brutality, and 
encouraging young kids to learn radio. Thanks to segregated housing 
in Springfield, this signal was strong enough to reach 75% of the 
black community. It also reached the police department and the 
FCC, who have ordered Dewayne to stop broadcasting, and assessed 
a $750 fine against him. Although the FCC won't issue a license to 
an FM station below 100 watts, they won’t let such a station operate 
unlicensed either. 

Dewayne is prepared to fight in the courts and if necessary go 
to jail to try and get the right to broadcast. Since the station was 
not interfering with any other use of the airwaves, it’s hard to see 
what justification there is for shutting him down—other than the 
obvious one, of course, that people setting up radio stations for 
$600 pose a threat to the established order. Meanwhile, various 
activists are getting together to challenge the FCC on this. For more 
details, you can either contact Dewayne himself at 420 N. 14th St., 
Springfield, IL 62702, or Ron Sakolsky from the Alliance for Cultural 
Democracy at RR1, Pawnee, IL 62558. 

You may note that the press run has dropped for this issue.. 
Fear not; I had just overestimated the last one a bit. Also I've 
dropped my New York City distributor, who accounted for several 
hundred copies. But the subscription list continues to expand, and 
the magazine is in no danger of folding. 

I get press releases galore these days. People write me with long 
lists of things they’re planning to publish, and ask that I print 
detailed specifications on each one and solicit contributions. They 
write to tell me of their new promotional companies and send two 
pages of information to pass on to musicians. I don’t mind 
mentioning these things if they look useful to my readers. But I'm 
not going to print more than a paragraph about any of them. If 
you need more free advertising for a commercial venture...buy an 
ad. ‘ 

The next FACTSHEET FIVE party, fourth in a series, will be 
held Saturday, March 31. If you are interested in being there, please 
send me an SASE for an invitation. I may or may not do a mass 
mailing to people who attended previous parties. 

Finally, I’d like to thank all the people who helped out with FF 
over the past year, and welcome both new staph members and new 
readers. I have big plans for this year, and hope to continue to 
bring you a fun guide to obscure reading matter for a long time to 
come. 











Lobias Fogcutter 
Grinning Idiot Press 
10163 115 Ave. N 
Largo, FL 34643 


Inviting your correspondance 

Not currently publishing, but informally corresponding on 
pagan theology, logic, the future, politics, eco-war, resources, 
survival, healing and gaming. 
Blessed Be, or else. 


Hail Eris. 





12 Publisher’s Choice 





ANARCHY #23 ($9/6 issues from C.A.L., PO Box 1446, Columbia, 
MO 65205-1446): One of the top three anarchist papers on this 
continent (the other two are FIFTH ESTATE and KICK IT 
OVER—and this list is not in any particular order!), ANARCHY 
continues to improve. This issue includes a set of theses from Paul 
Z. Simons on play, Murray Bookchin on population and “overpopula- 
tion”, and Noam Chomsky on propaganda. They’re reprinting Raoul 
Vaneigem’s THE REVOLUTION OF EVERYDAY LIFE in sections, 
and feature columns on the alternative press, the international 
anarchist scene, and (thanks to John Zerzan) nihilism. Their letter 
column remains long and vibrant, giving me some hope that the 
anarchist movement in the U.S. hasn’t been completely hijacked by 
authoritarian anarchist “leaders” yet. (T-36t) 


kkkkk 

IAO CORE #12 ($4 from 326 Dogwood Dr., Walnut Creek, CA 
94598): The IAO Core people have the fingers in lots of pies, 
including aural and video performance. This print issue has the 
theme of “Chaos” and it pulls together material from all over the 
_ Map—a review of Gleick’s book on the subject is later followed by 
a review of a Survival Research Laboratories performance. Hakim 
Bey gets excerpted, and Food Not Bombs issues a manifesto against 
the establishment. The art has a distressing feel to it bondage and 
guts and collage to excite and disturb. Poetic Terrorism, chaos comics, 
Lee Harvey Oswald, and who knows what else come together. Like 
a bad drug trip projected back in time from the next decade. (S-56t) 


tok kkk 
THE NEW SETTLER INTERVIEW #46 ($10/12 issues from PO 
Box 730, Willits, CA 95490): Beth Bosk talks to people, and publishes 





PIABOLOS GRAPHICS 


EXCHANGE 


Gore and much, much more — The perfect archive for publishers of death- 
zines and students of the macabre. Choose from our repository of sickness. 


We’ve got: 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


s TREMBLAY 


the resulting interchanges here. That may not sound like much, but 
between her style and the fascinating folks she picks and the issues 
in Northern California, it’s great. In this issue, one of the main 
interviews is with Susan Jordan, one of the few women who’s been 
practicing criminal law for years and who takes “movement” 
cases—defending women who kill their rapists, dope growers, 
confessed revolutionaries, and so on. She clearly respects the idea 
of justice while still working with the law. Another talk is with 
Michael Huddleston and Steven Day, a pair of gay environmental 
activists who are now dealing with AIDS as well as the Forest 
Service. There’s also letters and a few lighter things, like the 
continuing “Noyo County Capers” comic strip. (S-56t) 


tok tekok 

OTHE OPTIMISTIC PEZIMIST #1 ($15/yr from Mike Robertson, 
PO Box 606, Dripping Springs, TX 78620): It’s not too often that I 
choose a premiere issue for this column, but Mike’s undeniable 
enthusiasm won me over. This is a specialized periodical for collectors 
of Pez dispensers. Inside, there are results of recent auctions (some 
of these things are going for $300 each), notes on variants and when 
and where they were issued, and ads from a whole batch of 
collectors. In a nice touch, one of the advertisers includes color 
photos of the dispensers in his current auction. Looks like time to 
go through that box of junk in the attic again. (D-24t) 


wk kkk 

SHOTS #18 ($2 from D. Price, 304 S. 4th, Danville, KY 40422): 
Dan Price brings to his photography tabloid the quality I look for 
in Publisher's Choice picks: passion. He’s infectious about it too, 
turning even a dedicated text-person like myself into an appreciator 
of visual stuff, at least for the duration of his 
pages. Along with the photos—this issue’s theme 
is “Big Pictures”, images of people, places and 
things blown up to full page size—there’s a couple 
of columns and news on what SHOTS readers 
are up to in the world of photography. Friendly 
and fun. This is the last of the large-format 10x13 
issues; it will shrink to 8 1/2x11 soon, but that’s 
still plenty of room for most shots. (T-48) 


tok tok k 
SIMPLE COOKING #25 ($16/4 issues from 
John Thorne, PO Box 58, Castine, ME 04421): 


Self Mutilation (pick your part), Human Sacrifice, Charles Addams, 
Military Curiosities, Mythology Research, Death Trivia, Facial Mutilation, 
Evil Poetry, Execution, Genetic Mutation, Cannibalism, Skin Disease, 


Coroner’s Photos, Funeral Art, Victoriana, Vampirism, 
Mass Murder, Torture, Ghosts, Paranormal Phenomenae, 
Horror & Splatter Movie Stills, Necrophilia, Sex Crimes, 
Highway Patrol Accident Photos, Satanism, Eschatology, 
Terata, Strange Suicides, Demonology, Skull Art, 
Mental Illness, Naziology and Assassination Techniques 


11” x 17” posters and stickers available on request. 
The largest Xerographic service on death and related subjects in the world. 
Send $2.00 per category + $1.00 US/$2.00 foreign for postage and handling to: 
D.G.E. — P.O. Box 4527; Portland, Oregon 97208 





Someone who can write eight pages about little 
more than baking white bread—and make it 
fascinating—is to be commended. John has spent 
quite a while perfecting a technique, and while 
eschewing the mechanical idea of a recipe for 
bread, he gives plenty of hints, on everything 
from cooking apparatus (cloche to outdoor wood- 
fired oven) to sourdoughs (“Even when the dough 
is aged to bring out its full, nutty-sweet flavor, 
there should be none of the boozy harshness that 
comes of making yeast blind-drunk on sugar and 
milk.”). It's a delightful trip through solid 
American food, and one which always inspires 
me to dive into the kitchen. This issue has a 
double-sized supplemtn, MANGE TOUT, with 
teaders’ hints on cookbooks worth hunting for. 
(S-16t) 


tiers 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


MAIL FoR 
OFENING BY FBI 
| 














ZINES 


You'll notice that some listings are now prefaced with the symbol 
0. This means that this is the first time this particular zine has been 
reviewed in FF. I hope this proves useful. f 

Also please note that the comics and music zine reviews have 
been moved to their own sections, due to many requests from 
readers. These immediately follow the main fanzine listings. 


kkk kk 
THE 11TH ST. RUSE Vol. 3 #2 ($1-2/4 issues from 322 E. 11th 
St. #23, New York, NY 10003): These folks describe the zine as a 
“diary and hoax”. #2 includes a short story featuring vegetables as 
prime characters, a consideration of the literary and philosophical 
ramifications of shit, and some letters from readers (which may or 
may not be hoaxes). They also tuck in other goodies, as with the 
two page printout of poetry accompanying my copy. (S-4) 
Kkkkk 
021 CENTURY ARTIST WITHIN A YEAR #1-2 ($1 (?) from 
Jeffrey D. Hess, Rm. #2 De Rivera Hotel, 125 W. Carrillo St., Santa 
Barbara, CA 93101): A broadside of art, poetry, and somewhat 
visionary writing. There seems to be a sort of Rainbow or Deadhead 
or Hippie spirit animating the whole thing, but the point is not yet 
clear to me. (O-2) 


tk kkk 
252 NEWS #5 (DM3 from Henning-Zeus Zipf, Bessunger Str. 33, 
D-6103 Griesham, WEST GERMANY): Club 252 is a role-playing 
game group, and this slick-cover zine is their production. Inside 
there are bits on games from miniatures right through computers. 
There’s hobby news, reviews of other zines, a comic, and some 
new rules for something. All in German. (A4-28) 


kk kkk 

2AM MAGAZINE #14 ($5.95 from PO Box 6754, Rockford, IL 
61125-1754): A well-done magazine of horror fiction with some nice 
trimmings, like extensive reviews of books in the field and a small 
press column. On the story side, Patrick McLeod’s “The Confes- 
sional” does a nice job with an old theme, while Charles Pfister’s 
“Spree” does a good deal of stomach-turning in its few pages. Other 
contributors include Kathleen Jurgens and Donna R. Phillips. (S-64t) 


Leftehtetohel 

ABC NO RIO MAGAZINE #7 ($1 or so from Matthew Courtney, 
156 Rivington St., New York, NY 10002): A fat collection of stuff 
emanating from the ABC No Rio club in New York and beyond. 
They feature graphics, poems, anarchist and gay and squatters 
propaganda, collage, stories, ranting, raving and who knows what 
else. This is the sort of underground ‘culture that just can’t be 
suppressed. (S-58t) 


kkk kk 
BRASAX #6 ($4 from James M. Martin, PO Box 1219, Corpus 
isti, TX 78403-1219): One of the more fascinating magickal journals 
openly available these days. The theme of #6 is “Technomagick”, 
with an interesting opening article about quantum reality and its 
implications for magick and a couple of (somewhat basic) articles 
about the use of computers in magick. They also look at the fall of 
Communism in the light of the prophecies of Aiwaz, and Nasty 


Zines 13 


Nergal is back with more cranky comments on the pagan scene. 
(S-56) 


kk kkk 

IE ACE Oct. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($16/yr from PO Box 11201, 
awnee Mission, KS 66207-0201): The Association of Clandestine 
Enthusiasts are shortwave radio listeners keeping track of un- 
authorized use of the airwaves. This ranges from pirate radio stations 
(even a SubGenoid “Voice of Bob” reported in the November issue) 
to the mysterious coded numbers transmissions to revolutionary 
voices from the contras and others. Much technical and contact 

information. (D-28r) j 


kkkkk 

DACFTU BULLETIN #4 (10 Fuxingmenwai Street, Beijing, 
CHINA): I don’t know for sure how you can get a copy, but telling 
them you're a unionist when you write might land one. This is the 
English-language publication of the All-China Federation of Trade 
Unions. This issue gives the official line on the student uprisings in 
China—that the government was a model of restraint when faced 
with hooligans and ruffians agitating, that the workers were more 
upset than the troops, that everything is back to normal now, and 
so on. (S-8) 


tok kkk 
ACROSS THE LINES Vol. 1 #3 (Donation from Seeds of Peace, 
2440 16th St. #241, San Francisco, CA 94103): Seeds of Peace is a 
support group for various social actions, variously providing food, 
porta-potties, and other logistical help. This issue discusses their 
recent experiences at Oak Ridge, the Housing Now march and the 
anarchist gathering, and has some notes on upcoming events. (S-8t) 


kak kk 

ACTION BULLETIN #24 ($25/yr from CCHW, PO Box 926, 
Arlington, VA 22216): The newsletter of the Citizen's Clearinghouse 
for Hazardous Wastes, an umbrella group which helps grassroots 
folks fight against waste dumps, incineration, and other attempts to 
spread around the junk of industrial civilization. Buried in this issue 
is the note that McDonald’s actually showed a sales drop earlier 
this year; presumably the boycott called to protest their styrofoam 
hasn’t helped them any. (S-28) 


kk kkk 

THE ACTION LINKAGE NETWORKER #35 ($50/yr from 5825 
Telegraph Ave. #45, Oakland, CA 94609): This newsletter comes 
from a networking organization that is actively encouraging 
visionaries and world-changers to communicate with each other. 
They support a batch of apa-like “Many-to-Manys”, and publish 
excerpts here, along with a bulletin board of networking notes and 
short articles. I find their work to be inspiring and empowering. 
(S-8t) 


kkkkk 

ADULT VIDEO NEWS Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($34.95/yr from 8600 
West Chester Pike #300, Upper Darby, PA 19082): A monthly look 
at the entire adult video market, X and R, straight, bi and gay. 
Mostly this is reviews, but they also pack in the industry gossip. 
With the December issue they began a three-part retrospective look 
at adult video in the 80’s. Every issue also has plenty of ads (mostly 
directed at retailers and rental outlets) and charts on which videos 
are doing hot business. (S-82t) 


tk tok 

THE ADVOCATE Fall, 1989 ($1 from The Peace Farm, HCR 2 
Box 25, Panhandle, TX 79068): The Peace Farm is across the road 
from the Pantex nuke manufacturing plant, and is occupied by a 
hearty band of protesters who put their freedom and livelihood on 
the line to try to stop the arms race. This issue looks mostly at the 
legal consequences of all this, with a letter from prison, notes from 
a necessity defense (which the jury was not allowed to hear) and 
more. Inspiring and in need of support. (S-24t) 


kkk s 

DADZINE #12 (£3 from Janet Ellicott, 43 Brooksbank House, 
Retreat Place, Morning Lane, Hackney, London E9 6RN, UK): A 
review of what SF fans call “media zines”: fanzines devoted to 
particular shows, such as Star Trek, Blake's 7, Battlestar Galactica, 
or even Starsky & Hutch or ren and the Beast. Janet lists dozens 
of these, primarily British, as well as clubs, conventions, and other 
contact points. A reference in depth to an area I barely cover. 
(A5-40r) 


14 Zines 


kkk 

AFRAID Vol. 1 #2-3 ($20/12 issues from 2170 S. Harbor Blvd. 
#270, Anaheim, CA 92802): A monthly newsletter for the horror- 
writing community. #2 starts off with “The Good News”, a column 
listing recent sales and deals. Inside, Janet Fox puts out some market 
news while W. Paul Ganley reviews various small-press horror zines. 
There’s notes on how to write for page or screen, some letters, and 
a comics column. Pretty wide-ranging, and perhaps one that will 
take off. (S-16t) 


kkk 

AFTER HOURS #5 ($4 from 21541 Oakbrook, Mission Viejo, CA 
92692-3044): A magazine of shuddery stories that take place after 
dark, which is the ideal time to read it, if you're not too skittish. 
Editor William Raley continues to put together a good read; this 
time he’s got a slightly-revised Harlan Ellison story (“Paulie Charmed 
the Sleeping Woman”), an interview with Charles L. Grant, and 
great fiction from Octavio Ramos Jr., M.L. Archer, and plenty of 
others. (S-48t) 


wkkkk 
DAGOG #1 ($3 & 2 stamps from Scott Gray, 372 5th Ave., 
Brooklyn, NY 11215): A new litzine with a nice color cover. Inside, 
the centerpiece is Erin Van Rheenen’s “Grand Street”, a tale of drug 
addiction and marginal life and love in the city. Laura Box’s untitled 
poem, reflecting on memory, falls wonderfully down the last page. 
(D-26t) 


kkk kk 

> OTHE AGONIZER Vol. 1 #1 ($12/4 issues from Sue Frank, 2508 

“Pine St., Philadelphia, PA 19103): This is a fanzine for members of 
the Klingon Strike Force—a group which takes on the identities of 
the Klingon race from Star Trek. There's Klingon history and 
sociology, weapon plans, and notes of the various Klingon fan 
organizations active here and now. This was news to me, but there’s 
an excellent bibliographical article here with details on many other 
Klingon publications. (S-44t) 


kk kkk 

ALASKA METAPHYSICAL COUNCIL NEWSLETTER Nov. 1989- 
Jan. 1990 ($12/yr from PO Box 93006, Anchorage, AK 99509-3006): 
These folks print a lot of general New Age stuff, from a bit on the 
Moment of Peace in the November issue to notes on what's 
happening in astrology at any given time. They also act as a sort 
of bulletin board for the local New Age community, printing phone 
numbers for a bunch of groups and resources. (S-12t) 


toto 

THE ALTERED STATE Vol. 6 #1-2 ($1 from Valerie Rosen, 1256 
S. Garner St., State College, PA 168001): A high school paper that’s 
been around for quite some time, perhaps thanks to its policy of 
providing pages to anyone at the school who wants them. This 
results in a mix of poetry, short stories, philosophy (“Cogito Ergo 
Sum” is coming in for quite a bit of discussion here), art, notes on 
education, and opinion pieces. I enjoy reading this;; it gives me 
hope for the future. (S-22t) 


took 
GALTERNATIVE VISIONS Vol. 3 #1 ($2/yr from UCSD Student 
Center Q-077, La Jolla, CA 92093); A tabloid paper aimed at the 
UC San Diego women’s community; it seems to have close ties with 
the Women’s Resource Center. They publish pro-choice material, 
poetry, editorials, articles on violence against women worldwide, 
and more. A competent collection. (T-12t) 


Kk kkk 

THE AMATEUR COMPUTERIST Vol. 2 #4 ($5/4 issues from R. 
Hauben, PO Box 4344, Dearborn, MI 48126): This forum grew out 
of a programming class for workers at Ford. It’s sort of an experiment 
in bringing computing ideas to the shop floor grassroots. Mostly it’s 
history and short programs in basic. Hasn’t really taken off yet, but 
the potential is there. (S-12) 


tok tokk 
OAMBERGRIS #5 ($3 from PO Box 29919, Cincinnati, OH 45229): 
A litmag which has a sort of Midwest small city flavor to it, 
emphasized by the opening special section on Norwood, Ohio in 
this issue, which also contains the winners of heir second annual 
fiction and poetry contest. Among the stories here, I enjoyed Clay 
Dillingham’s “Krusin For A Dutch Oven” and “The Kindness of 
Strangers” by William George. (D-86t) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


tok kkk 

OAMERICAN CEMETERY Vol. 62 #10 ($15/12 issues from 1501 
Broadway, New York, NY 10036): There’s a trade journal for very 
profession; this is “The Magazine of CEMETERY MANAGEMENT”, 
There’s lots of news of the profession and feature articles on various 
places to go when you die, but the best part is the ads: everything 
from computer software for space planning to remote-control bell 
towers “specifically designed to generate a significant increase in 
your pre-need sales by enhancing your property.” (O-104t) 


tok kkk 
AMERICAN FORUM Vol. 5 #33-36 ($4.95/6 months from 971 
Van Duzer St., Staten Island, NY 10304-1863): A two-page weekly, 
with some weeks much longer than others and quite a string of 
address changes over the past several years. They feature personal 
ads and the occasional review. #34/35 is a special year-end double 
issue, with more overtly sexual content than usual. (S-2) 


kkk kk 
THE AMERICAN GAY ATHEIST Vol. 7 #10-12 ($24/yr from PO 
Box 66711, Houston, TX 77266-6711): This is a publication for those 
not afraid to come out of the closet and admit that they’re...atheists. 
#12 opens with the results of a recent AIDS study that emphasizes 
the effectiveness of condoms, using this to segue into a blast of the 
Catholic Church’s stands on condoms and homosexuality. Lots of 
short news bits and networking notes make up the bulk of the 
issue. (S-8) i 
kkk tok 
AMERICAN INDIAN DEFENSE NEWS Vol. 4 #2 (50¢ from PO 
Box 563, Abilene, KS 67410): A small newsletter of Native American 
news and advertisements. Most of their news appears to be Teprints 
from other, mainstream sources. The ads tend towards big mails 
and other moneymaking schemes. (S-4t) 


tok 

THE AMERICAN’ RATIONALIST Nov./Dec. 1989 ($1 from PO 
Box 994, St. Louis, MO 63144): Whether you call it freethought, 
atheism, or rationalism, this one is “the alternative to religious 
superstition”. Some of their articles are fairly light, as with the one 
on Muhammad in this issue. Others are ‘chewy enough for the 
philosopher, for example, the examination of criticisms of Feuerbach’s 
atheism. Book reviews and short bits of religious news that makes 
religion look silly are regular features. (S-16t) 


totototok 

AMERICAN WINDOW CLEANER #19 ($6 from 27 Oak Creek 
Rd., El Sobrante, CA 94803): Think of the average trade journal, 
something directed at stonemasons or accountants or industrial 
engineers. Pretty dull, right? Well, this trade journal is anything but 
average, in that it's downright fun reading. Everything you always 
wanted to know about stepping off the edge of a tall building with 
boatswain’s chair and squeegee (and then some). (S-24t) 


tk kkk 

AMERICA’S AT OUR DOORSTEP Vol. 3 #1 (Stamps or trade 
from Dennis Brezina, PO Box 411, Churchton, MD 20733): Is there 
another newsletter published by a bed and breakfast host? I don’t 
know of any, so we'll all have to appreciate this amusement the 
more so. Dennis publishes notes from his business of hosting, letters 
from bushmen, political epigrams, poetry, cartoons, and general 
silliness. I like it. (S-6) 


tot ke , 

ANGLOFILE Vol. 2 #4 ($2 deom PO Box 33515, Decatur, GA 
30033): A newszine for those who are fans of the various British 
media: movies, television, and music for the most part. #4 includes 
a story on the Animals, an interview with Paul Darrow (from Blake's 
7) and several reviews of recorded stories. As always, they feature 
plenty of news about the latest shows, both in Britain and as imports. 
(S-8t) 


tok tokk 
ANTHONY M. EGAN NEWSLETTER #15 ($1 from 612 E.-14th 
St. #17F, New York, NY 10009): A selection of clipping sand tips 
for those who are into the outre or the neo-Pagan. Anthony combs 
major media sources as well as the zines, hopping from the Vatican 
condemnation of Yoga to a schedule of psychic fairs. Comes out 
irregularly, but always seems to come out sooner or later. (S-10t) 


kk kkk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


ANICHTI POLI #20 ($2 or so from PO Box 20037, GR-11810, 
Athens, GREECE): Peace, love, music and ecology—among other 
things—from our Greek friends. #20 seems to be even farther out 
than usual, with Genesis P. Orridge, Abbie Hoffman and Alexander 
Crowley, plus the usual assortment of far-out graphics and Greek 
text. (A4-32) 


tok kkk 

THE ANIMALS’ AGENDA Dec. 1989-Feb. 1990 ($22/yr from PO 
Box 6809, Syracuse, NY 13217): A glossy and well-packed magazine 
of animal rights and ecological issues. The December issue has news 
of the Carme boycott and thoughts on how to change peoples’ 
behavior. February analyzes the state and future of the movement 
as we enter the nineties. There’s always a ton of short news notes 
as well. (S-60t) 


kkk kk 

THE ANTENNA #3 ($1 from Peter Mantis, 123 Stonewall #1, 
Memphis, TN 38104): Peter’s zine of “Cinema and Popular Culture” 
seems to be drawing a lot of new writers these days, and is printing 
some interesting work. The best part of this issue was the series 
of essays and random thoughts on decadence, including contributions 
from Dick Freeman and Lisa Herskovits. The movies run from Tucker 
all the way back to Invasion of the Saucer Men. Elvis, an interview 
with the editor, Film Noir, and more. (D-32r) 


ABOUT APAS 


“Apa” stands for “Amateur Press Association”. Think of them 
as cocktail parties in print. Every apa has a central person who 
does the assembling and mailing of each issue. Members write 
whatever they want, make an agreed-upon number of copies, and 
send them to this person, who then collates the individual 
submissions into sets which are stapled together as the final apa. 


Costs are covered by each member paying for their own printing 
and postage. Many apas will sell you a sample copy so you can 
get a feel for their flavor and interests, but the bottom line is 
that this is participatory publishing, so if you aren’t interested in 
contributing, don’t bother to get in touch. Although there are 
hundreds of apas, most won’t trade with other zines, which is 
why I only list a dozen or two. 


tok tok 
APAEROS #23 ($3 & Age Statement from John and Kathe Burt, 
960 SW Jefferson Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333): A reader-written 
unedited forum about sex and relationships. Things seem to be 
picking up here lately, with some new members and lots of 
fascinating conversations—as well as drawings, poetry and short 
stories. No topic is out of bounds here, so be prepared if you decide 
to join in. (D-32r) 
tok kkk 
APA-TAROT #47-48 ($2 or so from Sheila Wilding, 17645 Via 
Sereno, Monte Sereno, CA 95030): This one is for Tarot card lovers, 
users, collectors and interested bystanders. Lots of the members use 
some of their space to run pictures of obscure decks (not all 
Tarot—this overlaps with playing card studies in general). Topics 
include the reason why cards work, individual histories, and general 
ties with larger lore. (S-111) 


kkk kk 
APATHEIST JOURNAL #4 (SASE from PO Box 2143, Stow, OH 
44224): This one is aimed at those who don’t care—to encourage 
them not to care. Rather than engaging in debates on the eternal 
questions of the world, Apatheists make fun of those debating, or 
wander off and do their own thing. The editor even discourages 
writing; he doesn’t care whether he hears from his readers. (S-1) 


kkk 
AQUARIAN ALTERNATIVES #168 ($12/12 issues from 5620 
Morton St., Philadelphia, PA 19144): The Aquarian Foundation is a 
group which is interested in building a better future for the world. 
This issue contains some more notes on intentional communities 
(see FF33 for a review of their excellent video Where's Utopia) and 
quite a bit on their latest passion, the abolition of the military. (S-8) 
kkkkk 
ARENA REPORT Vol. II #5-7 (75¢ from Ron Lemieux, 370 Lake 
Tahoe Ct. #102, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701): A short wrestling 











Zines 15 


newsletter which concentrates on match reporting, gossip, and feisty 
letters. It's got a sort of kitchen-table grassroots feel to it. (S-6) 


kkkkk 

ARMED CITIZEN NEWS #202 ($10/6 issues from NAKBA, PO 
Box 78336, Seattle, WA 98178): The National Association to Keep 
and Bear Arms operates this one as a sort of clearinghouse for 
gun-owner activism. They reprint anti gun control editorials and 
stories from all over, and have ads for dozens of other Con- 
stitutionalist and conservative groups. Some deep thinking, some 
rather shallow defensiveness. (I-8t) 


tok kkk v5 

OARMY MAN #2-3 ($15/6 issues from PO Box 1620, Boulder, 
CO 80306): “America’s Only Magazine” is sort of no-humor 
humor—that is, an extended series of shaggy dog stories and other 
pointless jokes that aggravate by their refusal to stick to the normal 
parameters of humor. For example, from #3: “I saw a clever bumper 
sticker the other day”—and that’s all we're told, with the bumper 
sticker remaining pointedly off stage. (S-12) 


Kk kk 


ART 
DAH JILT ART MAGAZINE #2 ($2 from PO Box 87128, 
Atlanta, GA 30337): An art magazine for “the industrial, the surreal, 
the erotic” which features everything from photographs (Anna 





DeFelice’s shadowed nudes standing out) to drawings and collage. 
They distribute this all over the place, and are happy to make 
images available on photographic prints or t-shirts. (S-32t) 


kk kkk 
CARTCORE #5 ($1 (?) from PO Box 49324, Austin, TX 78765): 
A collection of art and writings from the fringes of the psyche. 
Much of this seems designed to wallop the reader upside the head 
and so provoke thought, or at least disgust. Short stories and poetry 
mix with the more visual stuff. (HL-20r) 


Kk kak | 

ARTPAPER Vol. 9 #4-5 ($20/yr from 119 N. 4th St. #303, 
Minneapolis, MN 55401): Never mind that this is nominally a tabloid 
of the arts in Minneapolis. ‘#4 includes Bob Black on the Art Strike 
and Chris Dodge and Jan Disirey with an excellent overview of “The 
Activist Librarians”. #5 has “decentralization” as a theme, leading 
off with some of Carol Moore’s latest thoughts on the subject. Zines, 
garage bands, one-watt radio (WTRA), women’s music festivals, mail 
art, role-playing games, appropriate tech and co-ops all go into the 
stew, making this an inspiring set of articles. As a bonus you get 
Bob Black’s letter on the recent bomb sent to his apartment here in 
Albany. (T-32t) 


toot 

ARTPOLICE Vol. 16 #3 ($1 & 2 stamps from PO Box 10265, 
Minneapolis, MN 55458): A collection of drawings, some satirical, 
some funny, some psychedelic, some deranged, some pornographic. 
They all mix together to form a spectrum of cutting edge work, 
with the inevitable few pieces that don’t do much for me and always 
a few that make me stare and wonder. The centerfold this time is 
a medley of work capturing many of the Artpolice artists. (D-16) 


kkk kk 
ARTS AND BUSINESS QUARTERLY Vol. 2 #9 ($25/yr from 
Prince George’s Arts Council, 6611 Kenilworth Ave. #215, Riverdale, 
MD 20737): The quarterly newsletter of a group which acts to bring 
business support to the arts. Being reasonably close to the nation’s 
capital, they don’t seem to have a whole lot of trouble doing so. 
Might be of interest to artists: planning to compete for grants. (S-6t) 


kkk kk 

DARTSY ($5 from Clif Militello, PO Box 9075, Long Island City, 
NY 11103): A showcase for cartoon art, with this issue concentrating 
on the humorous side (notably through an interview with William 
Gaines from MAD Magazine). The art is the strongest point here, 
including a spotlight section of work from Jack Davis. The writing 
could use some work, and they should be forcibly restrained from 
using so many MacIntosh DTP special effects on their pages. (S-32t) 


kkk kk 
CARTWEEK Vol. 20 #43 ($2 from 12 S. First St. #520, San Jose, 
CA 95113): The heart of this one seems to be the extensive listing 





16 Zines 


of shows going on, mainly in California but also across the West 
and with a few national listings as well. The rest of it is reviews, 
of installations, spectacles, performances, and events. (T-16t) 


kkkkk 

ASH #2 ($1 CASH/Stamps “or live cows shipped via UPS” from 
David R. Wyder, 121 Gregory Ave. #B-7, Passaic, NJ 07055): This 
one is open to all sorts of creative output, which so far means 
mostly poetry, with a number of familiar small press names here: 
Weiss, Brownstein, Evason, Kittell and Hay among them. Norma 
Lee Edwards provides a revisionist look at the story of Medusa 
while Joe E. has half a dozen pages of great artwork. (S-38) 


tok kok 
ASYLUM #19 ($10/4 issues from PO Box 6203, Santa Maria, CA 
93456): An attractive little litmag which publishes a lot of short and 
fairly experimental work while still maintaining some ties with the 
mainstream. In this issue I enjoyed Charles Webb’s deconstruction 
of Disney (“Further Adventures of Uncle Scrooge”) and Ronald 
Baatz’s “Andreas”, a short rumination on the last supper. (D-40t) 


kkk kk 
OASYNJUR Vol. Il #1 ($2.50 from PO Box 567, Granville, OH 
43023): A serious journal of Nordic and Teutonic paganism, explicitly 
opposed to “neo-nazi and white supremist distortions”. This issue 
has a look at the old holidays, a ceremony to honor Freya, a book 
review, and more. There’s some specialized language involved, but 
most of it can be picked up from context. (D-28) 


tk kkk 

THE ATLAS Winter 1989 ($1 from Nancy lebovitz, 400 Wollaston 
Ave. C6, Newark, DE 19711): This is the newsletter of the Alexander 
School of Philadelphia, a learning center for students of the Alexander 
Technique. Nancy elsewhere has called AT “A way of improving 
co-ordination by getting out of the way of one’s ability to move 
freely”. Much of this material may be of interest only to such 
students and practitioners, but if you feel like your body needs a 
change, it’s worth checking out to see if this feels right to you. 
(S-18) 


tok tok 
THE ATROCITY Vol. 13 #11-13 ($8/12 issues from Hank Roll, 
2419 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221): Rude, crude, and often 
funny bits from some of the less-balanced souls in MENSA. The 
specialize in off-color jokes, office cartoons, and absurd letters, wi 
a sideline in t-shirt and bumper sticker slogans. Almost nothing here 
is politically correct, but I laughed anyways. (S-20) 


kk kkk 

AUSTIN WRITER Vol. 9 #12 ($30/yr from Austin Writers’ League, 
1501 W. 5th #109, Austin, TX 78703): This writers’ group is now 
almost ten years old, and has a lot of members. They put out a 
good-looking collection of market news, legal advice, and writing 
about writing. #12 has an update on the activities of their 
SF/Fantasy/Horror group and an interesting article on the value of 
Forewords from Marilyn & Tom Ross. (S-12t) 


» Ok 

OTHE AUSTRALIAN EXPATRIATE Vol. 1 #1-2 ($20.12 issues 
from 3809 Plaza Dr. #107-307, Oceanside, CA 92056): A new 
slick-covered magazine aimed at the estimated 100,000 Australians 
living in the United States. They cover some current Aussie news, 
from the America’s Cup challenges to the Australian Film Festival, 
‘plus US law as it relates to business and immigration and where 
to buy Vegemite in the States. There’s also crosswords and dreamtime 
legends for that Australian cultural flavor. (O-16t) 


tok kk 
AUTOPSY #6 ($2 CASH from 89 Pangeza St., Stafford Heights, 
Brisbane, Qld. 4053, AUSTRALIA): A mix of splatter movie and 
hardcore and related music coverage—all the joys of being young 
and in search of new sensations. Movies done here include Brain 
Damage and Human Animals; on the music side they get into some 
almost mainstream releases. Some fanzine coverage too. (A4-8r) 


kkkkk 
OA.Y.F. BULLETIN #2 (SASE from PO Box 8585, Minneapolis, 
MN _ 55408): A new link in the Ecomedia network of anarchist 
publications, this one is so far concentrating mostly on the news 
from Minneapolis, although there are notes on their communication 
with Polish anarchists in this issue. They’re working closely with 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


the Anarchist Youth Federation Distribution Service as well as the 
PROFANE EXISTENCE collective. (L-2t) 


tok kkk 

BABEL #15 ($1 from Glenn Wilkins, 605 13th St., Knoxville, TN 
37916): A co-operative exploration of photocopy work by Glenn, 
William Douglas, Russell Williams, and Eric Jantz. Most of the work 
here has been altered in some way by the copier, though some bits 
are verbal as well (for example, the strange interview with a local 
soupchef). I liked the collage of rent checks and angry note from 
the landlord. (S-20) 


tk kkk 

BABY CONNECTION NEWS JOURNAL Vol. 5 #5/6 ($9/6 months 
from PO Drawer 13320, San Antonio, TX 78213-3320): A support 
newsletter for the new parent, faced with this baby and wondering 
what to do for it. Theyre especially strong in tipping readers off 
to new products designed using the latest research findings about 
the sort of stimulation babies should have. These range from 
traditional crib hangers to new things like custom videotapes. (T-8t) 


took ek 

BACK BRAIN RECLUSE #14 ($4 from Anne Marsden, 24132-A 
Hollyoak, Laguna Hills, CA 92656): Published in England, this is 
one of the better SF fiction zines around, publishing a lot of work 
that ten years ago might have been called “New Wave” but now 
is just more good and experimentai storytelling. There’s a collabora- 
tion between Don Webb and t. Winter-Damon; Michael Cobley’s 
rather cinematic “Synopsis of a Looking-Glass Rebellion”, and David 
William Sheridan’s hellbound “Devil's Advocate” to enjoy here, for 
starters. A very savory package. (A4-63t) 


kkk kk 

BACKWOODS HOME MAGAZINE #2 ($3.50 from PO Box 1624, 
Ventura, CA 93002): A little bit of everything for those of us who 
want to get out of the city—or preferably who are already doing 
it. In this issue there’s some basic advice on solar power and on 
water filtration; Christmas ornament and weaving plans to keep the 
kids busy; profiles of successful backwoods folks, and earthquake 
safety tips. Yurts, interior decoration, and more are crammed in all 
available corners. Doing well for a young magazine. (S-56t) 


kkkkk : 

OTHE BADGER #4 ($20/yr from Reform Toronto, 633 Lakeshore 
Blvd. W #309, Toronto, ONT, M5V 3B9, CANADA): Reform Toronto 
is a citizens’ group interested in slowing the rush to development 
in Toronto, and providing affordable housing rather than more office 
space. In their newsletter they explain current city planning and 
their alternatives, and take a hard look at who should be removed 
from the city council to give reform a chance. (T-8t) 


tok kkk 

THE BAG #32 (SASE & Personal Note from Buddah Worthmore, 
28313 58th Ave., Paw Paw, MI 49079): Alternative music, the joys 
of running a screwy record store, and the ins and outs of the 
underculture combine here to make an enigmatic package. You can 
read about the editor’s cat or his business, or (in #32) see excerpts 
from what other people have written as “personal notes”. I’m sure 
you could do much better. (S-4r) 


tok kkk 

BAHLISTI PAPERS Vol. IV #iv-v ($2.25 from Kali Lodge, Ordo 
Templi Orientis, PO Box 15038, New Orleans, LA 70115): This is a 
monthly paper of magick with a somewhat left-hand slant. What 
stands out is their sense of humor; in addition to serious 
pathworkings and Enochian visions, they manage to sneak in a 
batch of serial fiction with a sort of gonzo style. They’ve also got 
various events going on in their own area and might be worth 
contacting to learn from. In #v there’s a bit of a storm brewing 
over apostolic succession in the Gnostic Church. (S-10t) 


kk kkk 
BAKER STREET GAZETTE #3 ;BAKER STREET GAZETTE($4.90 
from Baker Street Publications, PO Box 994, Metairie, LA 70004): 
This one is for aficionados of Sherlock Holmes. They lead off with 
letters and a bunch of Holmesian newspaper clippings before getting 
to the meat. This issue that includes a pastiche by W.E. Dudley, 
an article on C. Auguste Dupin by Michael Murphy, and R. David 
Ludwig’s summary of what's known and speculated about jack the 
Ripper. (D-68r) ; 
took kk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


BALCONY OF IGNORANCE #5-6 (50¢ or 2 stamps from Claude 
Bottom, 55A Centennial St., Seabrook, NH 03874): A bit of pop 
culture, a bit of personal ranting, and who knows what else. #6 
expands into a new format as Claude finds lots to publish: lists of 
record-groove messages, horrible comics, burning questions (“Do 
Austrians actually eat Vienna sausage?”), and music and zine reviews. 
There’s also a prize in every issue; I got a pair of clear plastic ants. 
(HL-12r) 


tot tkk 
OBATS Vol. 7 #3 ($25/yr from BCI, PO Box 162603, Austin, TX 
78716): This is the members’ newsletter of Bat Conservation 
International, a group who thinks the flying furry critters have been 
unjustly maligned. They help out with and report on scientific 
research, and print lots of pretty pictures of bats. (S-16t) 


tk kkk 

BEHIND THE WALLS Nov. 1989 ($5 [prisoners] or $10 [others] 
per year from 5 Star Press, PO Box 4167, Halfmoon, NY 12065): 
This is a fast-growing newsletter of prison support, active on a lot 
of fronts. Originated by Michael Stotts, it gives notes on current 
Constitutional cases, prison conditions around the country, and 
struggles to make them better. They’re also running a pen pal service 
and thinking about a resource directory. (D-20t) 


kkkkk 

BELLOWING ARK Vol. 5 #6 ($12/6 issues from PO Box 45637, 
Seattle, WA 98145): The publishers here are still involved in a letter 
column scrap over the Rushdie affair. Meanwhile, they continue to 
publish relatively traditional poetry, as well as short stories and (in 
installments) a novel. In #6, I got a kick out of Susan Ross’s 
condensed biography “Mommyopoly” and the quiet poetic voice of 
Madelon Bolling. (T-20t) 


tok tok 
BENT #3 ($1 & Age Statement from Cellar Productions, 11 Werner 
Rd., Greenville, PA 16125): A collage of current news, pro wrestlers, 
bear hunters, penile enlargement device ads, bondage accessories, 
murders, the War on Drugs, and other low points of our society. 
It's sort of like having a ton of tabloid newspapers boiled down 
and dropped in your face. (D-12t) 


tok kkk 

BETWEEN THE LINES Vol. 1 #7-8 ($10/yr from Sacramento Peace 
Center, 1917A 16th St., Sacramento, CA 95814): This is a cooperative 
paper—which means that many groups take responsibility for 
producing a page each. Thus there is space here from Greens, and 
boycotters, and Palestinian rights activists, and populists, and the 
Democratic Socialists, and more. There is also jointly-funded space 
for major stories; in #8 an interview with activists from the CSUS 
African Student Alliance takes up most of it. (T-16t) 


tk kkk 

OBETWEEN THE ROPES Vol. 1 #11 ($1 from 336 Harbor Dr., 
Lido Beach, NY 11561): Jointly edited by Adam Horowitz and Brad 
Burns, this wrestling zine comes out twice a month. Unlike most 
of the other wrestling newsletters I’ve seen, they skip the short 
gossip bits in favor of longer editorials on the shape of the scene. 
In this issue they discuss, among other things, Titan’s chances in 
Japan and the difficulties of being a booker these days. (S-6) 


toto kk 
BIG RED RAG Vol. 3 #2 ($3 from 108 Schuyler Pl., Ithaca, NY 
14850): An excellent feminist newspaper put out by a collective at 
Cornell that’s trying to get people to examine their hidden 
assumptions, starting with their name. There are fine articles in this 
issue on a woman's place as a Cornell employee, women, AIDS 
and prison, and the problems women face in working with the IRA. 
(T-12t) 
tok kkk 


OBIG WEDNESDAY Vol. 1 #2 ($5/2 issues from 91 Payson Ave. _ 


#1G, New York, NY 10034): This is a confusing sort of new wave 
literary magazine, heavy into typographic tricks and stories which 
avoid the usual. Jennifer Waters’ “White Trash Debutante” is a story 
of growing up punk, while Arthur Nersesian’s “Lucky Break” 
examines the eerie pointlessness of comedy. Plenty more to chew 
on here, including a few poems. (HL-32t) 


kkk kk 


E BLACK FLAME Vol. 1 #3 ($3.25 from PO Box 499, Radio 
City Stn., New York, NY 10101): A Satanist periodical that follows 













Zines 17 


ruthlessly in the footsteps of LaVey. It’s growing fast, with lots of 
essays here about the justice of vengeance, Satanic rules to live by, 
and so on. Of interest in this issue is an article alleging that nearly 
all Satanists and Odinists in Britain are Fascists, and the rather 
sarcastic “Truth About Santa Claus”, which takes paranoid Fun- 
damentalist fantasies and builds on them to the point of absurdity. 
(S-24t) 
tok kk 

BLIP #124 ($1 from Joka Press, 106 S. Spruce St., Box 74, 
Nokomis, IL 62075): This “Brave Little Impossible Publication” is 
pretty good at getting chuckles out of me, as Joe Kempe does well 
with current events as a humor source. He also prints puzzles, 
discusses history (well, you might call it reminiscing instead— 
whatever, Mumble Peg gets a page here) and carries a batch of 
baseball stuff (the pages I skip). A nifty editorial presence and the 
occasional limerick make this memorable. (D-40t) 


kk kkk 

BLUE LIGHTS #27/28 ($6 from Lil Sibley, 4945 “U” St., 
Sacramento, CA 95817): There are still a lot of fans of the Starman 
TV series out there. In fact, they’ve organized Spotlight Starman, a 
decentralized fan group of which this is the newsletter. In addition 
to continued campaigns to put the series back into production, they 
pass on all sorts of info about the episodes that were filmed, hold 
conventions, publish new Starman ideas, and have a lot of fun. 
(S-50) 


kk kkk 

BLUEPRINT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Vol. XLIII #3-5 (Donation 
from Institute of Human Relations, Loyola University, New Orleans, 
LA 70118-6195): A monthly single-topic letter which always revolves 
around something from the peace or social justice arenas. In 
November it’s the prospects of conversion from a military to a 
civilian economic base, with a look at communities that have 
successfully made the jump. December examined the Nicaraguan 
elections, explaining the procedures and evaluating them. (S-8t) 


kkk 
OBOBWORLD Vol. 1 #1 ($1 (?) from Bob Pagani, 1001 Belvidere 
Rd., Phillipsburg, NJ 08865): A new and somewhat humorous 
newsletter. Most of the first issue is filled with a surreal story about 
a guy who gets and loses self-confidence. In an interesting sidebar, 
Bob is offering to write selected readers into his will to receive an 
internal organ on his death. (S-4) 


Kkkkk 

BOILED ANGEL #3 ($2 from Michael C. Diana., 519 Cleaveland 
Ave. SW, Largo, FL 34640): This is the most gruesome comic I get 
regularly. Michael and his cohorts draw scenes of rape, torture, 
mass murder, psychosis, and other awful things. Festering wounds 
and distorted bodies, as well as reworked celebrities (the Brady 
Bunch goes to hell in this issue) are specialties. The whole is dressed 
up with a few actual autopsy photos and reports of famous 
murderers. (D-76) 


kk kkk 


= BOING 
e3 BOING 


MVE FUN Witt! BRAIN 
» CYBERPUNK » HUMOR + SF» COMIX: 


»NEUROTOYS «HACKING REVIEWS» 
AISUSUBSIO/SSSS. ISSUES | &2 $3 


PO BOX 1231] BOULDER, (0 80303 








18 Zines 


OTHE BOND ($10/yr from NAMI [note “SAC NETWORK” on 
check], 2101 Wilson Blvd. #302, Arlington, VA 22201): From the 
Siblings and Adult Children’s Network of the National Alliance for 
the Mentally Ill comes this support journal. It's a mix of personal 
Stories and articles, all designed to let people with mentally ill 
relatives know that they are not alone and that there are resources 
for help out there. (S-12t) 


took 
BOOKS ARE EVERYTHING #10 ($5 from R.C. & Elwanda 
Holland, 302 Martin Dr., Richmond, KY 40475): A meeting place 
and guide for paperback book collectors. They feature lots of articles 
on collectible books, with plenty of photos of covers to whet your 
interest. There’s a Cornell Woolrich checklist in this issue, plus a 
look at paperbacks with movie tie-ins. The letter column provides 

a fascinating look at this hobby. (S-60) 


tok 

BOONDOGGLER #2-3 ($1 (?) from Steve C. Brothers, USS 
Brunswick ATS-3, FPO San Francisco, CA 96672-1418): A mix of 
insults, collage, and alleged humor. Steve doesn’t claim that his zine 
is any good, and having set low standards, he wallows in them. 
Occasionally he gets a funny slam in against someone or some trend 
he doesn’t like. #3 includes an absurd but apparently genuine law 
enforcement warning on new ways to get stoned (tobacco laced 
with toothpaste?). (S-12) 


tok kkk 

BORDER/LINES #16 ($16/4 issues from Bethune College, York 
University, 4700 Keele St., North York, ONT, M3J 1P3, CANADA): 
This one has the subtitle “cultures contexts canadas”; inside is a 
wide-ranging exploration, academic in tone but not inaccessible. #16 
includes surveys of Italian and Canadian feminist journals, which 
are set off by an attempt to write literary discourse in a new vein. 
There’s an article on Bikes Not Bombs, one on the film Shoah, and 
reviews of a batch of important books. Very nice layout as well. 
(O-48t) 


kkkkk 
BOTTOM DRAWER ZINE #2 (50¢ from Greg, 3579 Via La 
Primavera, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360): The sort of spare zine of 
Greg, whose first product is LOCAL ZINE. This issue has some 
skate photos, a bit of collage, and a cheeky Western story, with a 
couple of false endings. (D-12) 


kkkkk 

BREAKTHROUGH! Vol. 5 #3 ($4 from Aardvark Enterprises, 204 
Millbank Dr. SW, Calgary, AB, T2Y 2H9, CANADA): Edited by 
prolific poet J, Alvin Speers, this is self-announced as “The 
mini-magazine with Big Ideas”. It’s a mix of poetry, short stories, 
excerpts from Norman Vincent Peale, notes on getting rich, 
autobiographical material, and other odds and ends. Generally the 
writers are on the uplifting side of things; their guidelines note that 
“ancouth” material will not be accepted. (D-52) 


kk kkk 
BREITENBUSH NEWSLETTER Vol. VIII #1 


($4/yr from PO Box 578, Detroit, OR 97342): 
This is a combination course catalog and 
community paper. Breitenbush Hot Springs is 


ra 





. 
SES BRE see eee 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


an intentional community which hosts many New Age seminars, 
workshops and events, from “Opening to the Sacred Voice Within” 
to “Changing Woman”. The newsletter announces and describes 
these and gives directions for registration. They also run articles on 
the business of living together; there’s a nice piece on kitchen staff 
meetings in this issue. (S-32t) 


tok kk 
OTHE BUFFALOON NEWSLETTER Vol. IV #1 ($1 (?) from Raisin 
Blowme, 31 W. Northrop P1., Buffalo, NY 14214): A mix of collage 
and reviewing. The former is manic in an almost SubGenial way, 
putting together lots of mainstream media images with words to 
make spiritual points The latter start from music but get into books 
and comics as well. Rather tongue in cheek. (S-12) 


kk kkk 
BURP NEWS Dec. 1989/Jan. 1990 ($10/yr from 19924 Apple Ridge 
Pl., Gaithersburg, MD 20879): Aimed at people in the Washington 
area who like beer, and like to make it at home. Brewers United 
for Real Potables is the full name of the group, and they get together 
to sample one another's creations on a frequent basis. The newsletter 
also has recipes, notes on pubs worth visiting, and more. (S-11) 


took kk 

BVI-BLACK COFFEE #6 ($1 or “diner stories or anything on 
Mary Tyler Moore” from C. Goldberg, PO Box 6248, Albany, NY 
12206-0248): The editor is recently returned from England, and 
brought back some clippings that prove the English are as confused 
as ever about we Colonials. A close-to-the-bone editorial leads off, 
and later there are other clippings about subjects as diverse as peace 
and how not to be a Tomboy. Lorraine Schein has a piece on the 
joys of being a slob, and Goldberg is looking for autobiographical 
pieces from other people, about events that shaped their lives. (D-16r) 


kk kkk 

BVI-CENTRAL Vol. 8 #7-8 ($1 from J. LeRoy, PO Box 4843, East 
Lansing, MI 48826): More personal writings and rantings from the 
prolific J. LeRoy. These two issues cover the implications of life 
beginning at conception, the scam of higher education, an anti-Stang 
rant, thoughts on open relationships, and lots of stuff thrown at 
George HW Bush. Plenty to chew on from a liberal who’s not afraid 
to stand up and be counted. For another buck you can get 
BVI-CENTRAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS I, a collection of the 
various playlets J. has published over the years. (D-20t) 


kk kkk 

CAMPUS REVIEW Vol. 5 #8-9 ($5/yr from 336 S. Clinton #16, 
Iowa City, IA 52240): This college-based paper finds itself consistently 
opposed to what they refer to at one point in this issue as “the 
socialist/homosexual/recycling coalition’. In other words, their view- 
point is extremely conservative, as well as eloquent and well-argued. 
Local and national politics share their pages with more traditional 
collegiate concerns like music reviews. #9 has the conservative view 
on the Nicaraguan elections, which you may have missed if you 
read only politically correct media. (T-20t) 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


kt 

CANADADAPA #7 ($1 from Colin Hinz, 349 West St. N #3, 
Orillia, ONT, L3V 5E1, CANADA): A small amateur press association 
dedicated to Dada and other nonsensical art movements. Members 
contribute collage, or notes on proper use of the hectograph, or 
paper sacks with rubber stamping, or notes on the art strike, or 
any other darned thing. Colin says #8 will be his last issue, and 
he’s looking to recruit someone to take over. (S-15) 


kkkkk 
THE CANADIAN WRESTLING REPORT Vol. 5 #4-5 ($5/6 issues 
from 15 Penrose Ave., Kitchener, ONT, N2A 1E9, CANADA): A 
pile of wrestling news from North of the border. #5 includes their 
predictions for 1990, as well as the usual reporting on matches and 
angles. (S-8) 


kkkkk 
CAN WE NEWSLETTER #39 (Donation from Citizens Against 
Nuclear Weapons and Extermination, PO Box 2152, Coeur d’Alene, 
ID 83814-1913): A short newsletter of notes about the local nuke 
industry (including the nuke engineering lab in state and the Hanford 
plant) and whats wrong with them lately. A useful source of the 
latest horror stories on food irradiation and plant contamination. 


(L-2) 
LRaftatahel 

THE CAPITAL DISTRICT COMPUTER MART Vol. 1 #7 ($2/4 
issues from PO Box 402, Schenectady, NY 12301): This is a freebie 
locally, now also available by mail. In addition to the ads from area 
computer stores, they’ve got reviews (a couple of games in this 
issue) and feature articles. #7 takes a look at telecommunications, 
with an overview of the field and notes on some worrisome charges 
that Southwestern Bell is trying to sock sysops with. (T-12t) 


naekkk 

CAPRA #81 ($2 from Marc Reed, PO Box 18293, Milwaukee, WI 
53218): Membership is booming in this amateur press association 
devoted to discussing movies, so be prepared to wait a while if you 
send for a sample issue. And remember, apas are participatory, so 
be polite and only get in touch if you'd like to join the discussion, 
which ranges from silent movies to the latest releases. Our own 
Anni Ackner has recently started writing for CAPRA, adding yet 
ay knowledgeable voice to what was already a prime roster. 
(S-1 


tok k kk 

CARIBBEAN NEWSLETTER Vol. 9 #11-12 ($10/yr from Friends 
For Jamaica, PO Box 20392, Park West Finance Stn., New York, NY 
10025): A newsletter which tracks primarily political news in the 
various countries of the Caribbean. The trial of the Grenada 17 
remains one of their prime concerns, even if no one else seems to 
care that the US helped rig the evidence to convict a bunch of 
people. Guyana and Jamaica also come in for feature articles in this 
issue. (S-8) 


kk kkk 

THE CARING CONNECTION Vol. 5 #12-Vol. 6 #1 (Sample for 
SASE from Phyllis A. Burns, 3060 Bridge St. #342, Brighton, CO 
80601): Aimed at people caring for other people on a long-term 
basis, this one gives hope in a lot of little ways. Whether it’s people 
finding that chronic pain can be licked or a program to get banks 
to make large-print statements available, each issue has plenty of 
ideas. They also print poetry from their disabled readers. (S-6) 


tt kk 
THE CAROLINA CRITIC Dec. 1989 ($20/yr from 01 Steele Bldg., 
CB5100, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC 27599): “A Student Journal of News 
& Opinion” with a generally conservative bent. Unlike most of the 
new wave of student papers, it concentrates on large issues instead 
of local campus affairs. Pieces here look at environmentalism, foreign 
policy, abortion, drugs, and more. (S-32t) 


kook kek 
OCASA CRY Vol. 16 #4 (Donation from 1131 N. 21st St., PO 
Box 05206, Milwaukee, WI 53205): Casa Maria is a Catholic Worker 
house in Milwaukee, where people live in voluntary poverty to help 
others even less fortunate. Their newsletter tells of successes and 
needs, and looks at some of the worst national social abuses as 
well. (L-2) 


kkkkk 


Zines : ; 19 


CATHARSIS #6 ($2 from PO Box 3181, Suffolk, VA 23434): 
Culture and counterculture from the Richmond area. They’ve got 
music reviews from Lunachicks to Neil Young, a photocopied sheet 
of enigmatic one-liners from Kyle Hogg, and suggested questions 
for an updated SAT. They also look at local radio and publish some 
comics making fun of Ann Landers. (T-16t) 


tok kok 

CATHEDRAL OF INSANITY #10 ($2 from Julie Luce, 1216 W. 
Ivesbrook, Lancaster, CA 93534): An edgy little litzine, which 
maintains a strong personal touch—consider the handmade yarn 
binding on every issue, for example. In #10 John Grey updates the 
theme of “And then There Were None” with his “Down to 2” and 
Jay Williams entertains with a bizarre catalog of aquatic hallucinatory 
animals. (D-24r) 


kkk 
OCATHOLIC AGITATOR Vol. 19 #8 ($1/yr from 632 N. Brittania 
St., Los Angeles, CA 90033): Writings from people deeply committed 
to helping other people through the Catholic Worker network. This 
issue looks at industrialism and sees it as a major problem, arguing 
for a Green society instead before we destroy the planet entirely. 
There’s also a page of info on CW activities in the LA area. (T-8t) 


kk kkk 

CAVEAT EMPTOR #20 ($4 from Cross-Country Communications, 
PO Box 4533, Metuchen, NJ 08840-4533): A fine magazine that looks 
at UFOS and other paranormal things. Editor Gene Steinberg is 
notable for thinking that we don’t have the answers yet, that there’s 
no proof that abductions and sightings are caused by extrater- 
restrials—though he keeps in touch with this aspect of the field. 
#20 has the conclusion of an interview with Peter Kor, a look at 
“black magic” in the modern world in places like advertising and 
music, and an article on the possible survival of huge North American 
birds to the present time. (S-36t) 


kakkk 
CEHSOIKOE #10 ($1 from John Porcellino, 1954 Brookside Ln., 
Hoffman Est., IL 60194): This one has developed into a great little 


| jitmag over the years. This issue features a centerfold spread n Paul 


“White Boy” Weinman’s attempt to torch a flag here in Albany. 
There’s also a wonderful series of drawings from Joe Chiapetta and 


work from Oberc, Lainie Duro, John Bennett, and other topnotch — 


writers. (D-4*) 
kk kkk 

CENSORSHIP NEWS #32 ($25/yr from NCAC, 2 W. 64th St., 
New York, NY 10023): The seasonal newsletter of the National 
Coalition Against Censorship, a group dedicated to upholding the 
First Amendment. I trust this will be as popular with zine editors 
as it is unpopular with those in power these days. They print short 
news bits on everything from prison regulations to flagburning 
amendments, and make some suggestions on what readers can do 
to help fight this nonsense. (S-8) 


kkk kk 

CENTRAL PARK #16 ($5 from PO Box 1446, New York, NY 
10023): A litmag with both experimental and political overtones, 
done up in a large & impressive perfectbound package. It’s difficult 
to pick favorites from among the challenging and exciting works 
here, but here’s a few that struck me. Michael Lassell’s “A Modest 
Proposal: Overtly Political” is one of the most heartfelt cries of rage 
I’ve seen in a long time. Joel Lewis’s essay on the Home Shopping 
Network makes some interesting points, while Toni Simon's 
techno-collages seem deeper than many. There’s plenty more fiction, 
essays, poetry and vizlature to choose from here. (S-219t) 


ek tok ke 
OTHE CENTRIFUGITIVE Vol. 2 #2 ($1.25 from PO Box 183, 
Brookline, MA 02146): This is sort of a literary political zine, or 
perhaps a political literary zine. They feature short stories and art, 
plus political commentary from a variegated leftist point of view. 
Sometimes these overlap, as in the poetry about Tianenmen Square. 
Also music reviews and a section on the downside of TV in this 
issue. (HL-24t) 
kk kik 
CERES ORGANICS ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE NEWS Dec. 
1989 (Trial Subscription on request from PO Box 14338, Madison, 
WI 53714): A good source of information on what's going on in the 
organic agriculture industry, with some looks at agriculture as a 


rey 





20 Zines 


whole. This issue includes a couple of pieces on BGH, the proposed 
new rules for organic certification in Wisconsin, and more on soil 
imprinting as a way to revitalize worn-out farmland. There’s also a 
directory of organic and other unusual seed sources. (T-16t) 


tok 

OCERTAINTY #4 ($10 from Freepost, 85 West Ealing Broadway, 
London W13 9BR, UK): Edited in Amsterdam, this is one of the 
further-out sexual magazines to wend its way to the FF offices. The 
main thrust is towards S&M folks, especially those into leather and 
PVC, with pictures directed at their particular fetishes. There are 
letters from readers describing various outrageous experiences as 
well as articles on subjects like the sexual underground of Thailand. 


(D-70t) 
kkk kk 

CHANGING MEN #21 ($4.50 from 306 N. Brooks St., Madison, 
WI 53715): A magazine from a group of pro-feminist men who are 
concerned with helping other men face and deal with various 
problems, both in themselves and in society. There are pieces here 
on rape, on dealing with battering fathers, on grief and war, and 
more. They also print short fiction and poetry and review books in 
the field. A very caring, well-done publication. (S-48t) 


kkk 

CHAOTIC WORLD NEWS AND OLDS #22 ($1 from Pope 
George Ringo II, TESC, Bldg. D, Rm. 106, Olympia, WA 98505): A 
collection of Discordian and other rants and miscellaneous text pieces 
and graphics. They print a couple of slams at the Church of the 
SubGenius (including, but not limited to, the Bob Black review of 
HWBM), encourage strange fiction, review movies and zines and 
stuff, and generally do their best to confuse. A semi-organized look 
at one corner of the world. (S-22r) 


kkkkk 

OCHEERS #1 ($3 (?) from NFCH, PO Box 9, Wrightsville Beach, 
NC 28480): The newsletter of the National Foundation for the 
Chemically Hypersensitive, a group’ working to help those who have 
strong bad reactions to various bits of modern life, including 
pesticides and petroleum products. The contents are a mix of news 
on legislative efforts to fund research and notes on the research 
already done. Their conclusion is that there is an immune system 
disorder at the root of the problem, and with proper support those 
suffering can be helped. (S-48) 


tetok tok 
CHOKEHOLD #16-17 ($1 from Lance LeVine, 3113 S. Parnell, 
Chicago, IL 60616): One of the snider wrestling bulletins around, 
which makes it pretty fun as well. #16 has the questions for Lance’s 
is poll, less stuffy than the usual “Wrestler of the Year” stuff. 
(S-10) 


kkk kk 
CHRISTIAN ANTI-COMMUNISM CRUSADE Vol. 29 #23-24 
(Donation from PO Box 890, Long Beach, CA 90801): This one has 
been running for a long, long time, accusing the Communists of 
being essentially the anti-Christ in disguise, and blaming them for 
everything from AIDS to crumbling moral standards. #23 even links 
them to the pro-choice lobby. (S-8t) 


akkkk 
CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY Vol. 2 #1 ($2.50 from 
Bethsheva’s Concern, PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276): Editor 
Catherine Groves is trying to make this zine a way for New Agers 
and Christians—both of whom see Jesus Christ as very important—to 
conduct some useful dialogue. It seems to be working. This issue 
has a couple of pieces on Lent and some ideas on why difierent 
perceptions of Christ do not necessarily contradict one another. 
(HL-16) 
tok kk 
CHRISTIAN VISION Jan. 1990 ($5/yr from Skysong Press, RR1 
Washago, ONT, LOK 2B0, CANADA): A writer’s market publication 
aimed specifically at the Christian author. While not all the markets 
here are explicitly Christian, they're all open to receiving Christian 
works. They do a good job of indicating who’s looking for what, 
in and out of the small press, and manage to shoehorn in a short 
interview as well. (D-12t) 


kkkkk 
CINEMONDO #7 ($1 from 1100 Colquitt Ave. #5, Atlanta, GA 
30307): A movie zine which focuses on “oppressed genres”, but 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


does more than just wall to wall reviews. This issue leads off with 
an interview with Whitley Streiber, and closes with column looking 
at surprises after the credits in various films. In between there’s a 
good column on film zines and, yes, reviews. (S-24t) 


kkk kk 

CIRQUE DIVERS #113 (IRCs (?) from Antaki, 13, rue Roture, 
4020 Liege, Liege 1, BELGIUM): An irreverent jaunt, CIRQUE 
DIVERS reproduces mailart, found pieces of cultural detritus and 
almost anything it stumbles across or produces (including an original 
crossword puzzle). Most of this is in French, with a smattering of 
Flemish and a few titles in English. This is an amusing little read 
of this apparently long-running monthly. (M-32)(Guest review by 
Geof Huth) 


kkk kk 

CIVIS REPORT Autumn 1989 ($15/yr from PO Box 26, Swain, 
NY 14884): Put out by an organization founded by Dr. Hans Ruesch, 
this presents the medical case against vivisection (namely that animal 
models tell us nothing about human health and sickness). It has 
some good arguments, though Ruesch tends to get mired in seeing 
everyone who disagrees with him as part of some vast conspiracy. 
Subscription includes THE CIVIL ABOLITIONIST, which focuses 
on news on interest to the anti-vivisection movement in the U.S. 
(A4-12t) 


kkk kk 

CLIPOPHILIA #6 see manila SASE from PO Box 5671, 
Portland, OR 97228): A collection of newspaper clippings from the 
legitimate press (no NATIONAL ENQUIRERS, please) but with an 
oddball spin to them. A few headlines from this issue: “Dirty Laundry 
Suspect”, “Boy Decides to Zap Bugs, Burns House”, and “Alleged 
Cheating at Ohio Fair Focuses Woes of 4-H Officials.” It’s a strange 
world we live in. (S-32) 


tok kkk 

OCLUTTERED MIND #1 ($4 from Pawnee Ribber, PO Box 255, 
Monticello, NY 12701): Pawnee is fascinated with fringe culture and 
past popular culture, and this is a vehicle for him to share his 
fascination. He writes of classic radio shows, of a group of elusive 
“tapists” that he’s involved with, and of interesting things in the 
marginal press. There are excerpts from the writings of Tom Ratkov 
and Torky Koenings here, as well as aggressive comics and other 
odds and ends. (S-30r) 


kkk kk 
COALITION FOR PRISONERS’ RIGHTS NEWSLETTER Vol. 14 
#11-12 (Donation from PO Box 1911, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1911): A 
monthly look into the seedier side of the nation’s prison system, 
with plenty of letters from behind the walls. They document 
repression all over, from political lockdowns to inmates being refused 
their paltry pay for work. #11 reports the depressing news that as 
of the end of 1989, we passed the million mark for the number of 
people behind bars in this country. (HL-8) 
wkkkk 
COLD #2 ($2 CASH from R. Wherever, 11 Bayberry Ln., Cohasset, 
MA 02025): This one splits neatly into two sections. The first is a 
collage of art and info from the margins, with sabotage tips, comics, 
cyberpunk, hippie graphics, apocalyptic ranting, and more. The 
second chunk is a resource guide, with lots of reviews, some of 


hristian «New Age Quarterly 
A bridge supporting dialogue 





Sparkling Articles, Lively Letters 
“Ask Angeln''advice/info corner 
A Pensive Pause, & more! 






l yr. sub.: $9.50 Sample: $2.50 
For free info, send SASE 


P.O. Box 276 Clifton, New Jersey 07011 






FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


things you’ve seen here, some not. The range goes from survivalism 
to garlic growers. A good package for the fringe-watcher. (HS-60) 


kkkkk 

COLTSFOOT Vol. X #6 ($2 from James Troy, Box 313A, Shipman, 
VA 22971): A reader-written newsletter about the virtues of wild 
plants. For some reason I found this issue, with its articles on 
mallows, cabbage and mustards, more delightful than usual. Charles 
Martin, Sr., provides some rules of thumb for distinguishing 
poisonous plants from edible ones in case of desparation, and the 
letters provide a use for cattail fluff. (D-24r) 


kkk kk 

COLUMBIANA Vol. 3 #3 ($8/4 issues from Chesaw Rte. Box 
83F, Oroville, WA 98844): A fine issue of this bioregional publication 
for those living around the Columbia River. It includes an interview 
with Katya Komisaruk and associated material on the Nuremberg 
Principles and jury nullification, more on forest management and 
clearcutting and its alternatives, and notes on a planned road in 
British Columbia which threatens a native burial site. They carry 
plenty of local news bits and also look outward at global ties. Good 
reading. (S-64t) 

kkkkk 

COMBAT SPORTS #118 ($2 from PO Box 651, Gracie Stn., New 
York, NY 10028-0011): A wrestling newsletter that branches out to 
cover other similar bits of sports entertainment—most recently, the 
various attempts to revive roller derby. Its a mix of gossip and 
insider commentary, concentrating on the personalities involved. 
They'll also sell you videotapes, Dusty Rhodes bandannas, and other 
merchandise. Publisher Michael O’Hara also puts out the weekly 
COMBAT SPORTSGRAM, with late-breaking news bits, and 
available for 60¢. (S-16) 


kkkkk 

OCOMMON SENSE #9 ($10/4 issues from Edson Blodgett, PO 
Box 953, Rosamond, CA 93560): Published by Soundthing, a MENSA 
Special Interest Group, this is a home for essays and thoughts that 
are (the editor hopes) deeper than usual. This issue is a bit uneven, 
and the main focus seems to be on religion, from the justification 
for tithing to whether Scientology helps anyone. I found the selections 
more bite-sized than deep. Future issues promise consideration of 
various social problems. (S-12) 


tok tok 

COMMUNITY Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($25/yr from PO Box 131, 
Albany, NY 12201): The newsletter of the Capital District Lesbian 
and Gay Community Center, this one features mostly local news 
and reviews. They also do some longer articles on things like 
changing images of homosexuality, and print gay rights news from 
around the country. The January issue features an interview with 
Keith St. John, a gay activist recently elected to the Albany Common 
Council. (S-8t) 


kkk 

COMPOST MODERN LIFE #3 (One 25¢ stamp from Sean Wolf 
Hill, 2730 Monroe-Concord Rd., Troy, OH 45373): This newsletter 
is aimed at those seeking a simpler life, offering a mix of helpful 
hints and general philosophizing with an environmental bent. #3 
has an article on the advantages of home birth and another on 
guarding against information overload. The decline of society and 
the EPA’s stupidity are also touched on at length. (S-4r) 


kkkkk 

COMPOST NEWSLETTER Yule 1989 ($2 from CHECK/MO from 
Valerie Walker [write “for CNL” on check], 729 5th Ave., San 
Francisco, CA 94118): A neo-pagan journal that at times seems to 
wallow in being politically incorrect, as with Brent Gilman’s column 
blasting the womyn-only orientation of Wicca and the bondage outfits 
pitched at Gardnerians in this issue. There’s also ideas and rituals 
for celebrating Yule, and some other excerpts from the Compost 
Coven’s Disk of Shadows. (S-20t) 


Kk kkk 
OCONCEPT #1 (75¢ from Darin Bauer, 464 Tharp Ave., Moraga, 
CA 94556): This one is bubbling over in a lot of directions all at 
once; it’s almost like a cross-section of the zine scene. There are 
some essays on anarchy and anarchists, a short skateboard story, 
movie, music and zine reviews, and some poetry. They also tuck 
in amusing clippings and comics. (D-20) 


kk kkk 





Zines 21 


OCONCERNED CITIZENS NEWS Dec. 1989 ($2 from 3310 W. 
Swain Rd., Stockton, CA 95209): This one is basically a compilation 
of writings on how corrupt Pennsylvania in general and Pittsburgh 
in particular are. They have libelous things to say about various 
judges and officials, tell lurid tales of forced lesbian sex and ritual 
child murder, and so on. I'd be careful of believing much here; they 
claim a circulation over 5000 and yet this is a carbon copy, not a 
printed zine. (S-20) 

kkk 

OCONGREGATIONAL BIBLE REVIVAL NEWS Vol. 10 #28 
($10/yr from PO box 573, Abilene, KS 67410): This one is apparently 
a straight religious networking newsletter, but thanks to an 
amateurish production job it looks more like a fanzine. They appear 
to preach some relatively middle-of-the-road version of Christianity. 
They appear to ordain ministers for a relatively small donation. (S-8) 


tok kkk 

THE CONNECTION #162 ($2.50 from Erwin S. Strauss, PO Box 
3343, Fairfax, VA 22038): An apa for feisty libertarian, anarchist, 
conservative and just plain ornery types. They discuss taxes, drugs, 
armageddon, living in the wild, investing and quantum mechanics 
in fierce, argumentative, often pseudonymous submissions. I find it 
fun reading, but don’t have the stamina to participate these days. 
If you have an idea you want to try to defend against astute comers, 
though, this is the place. (D-108r) 


kkkkk 

CON NEWS Vol. 1 #12 ($12/yr from 7735 Osceola St., 
Westminster, CO 80030): A tabloid for people interested in science 
fiction conventions. While their convention listing is less exhaustive 
than that in the SE CONVENTION REGISTER, they make up for 
it with more feature articles and convention reviews. #12 has a 
continued report on Gen Con ‘89 and more on writing a contract 
with a hotel. (T-8t) 


kkkkk 

THE CONTROVERSY CHRONICLE Vol. 4 #2 ($2 (?) from 
Nathaniel-M. Naske, PO Box 80721, Fairbanks, AK 99708): A very 
alternative school paper from up Alaska way. This issue is filled 
with all sorts of wild and wooly stuff from the margins: a conspiracy 
at Disneyland, firsthand reporting from the Exxon oil spill, Nazis in 
your home town, Majestic 12, and lots else. Some of the printing 
is a bit marginal, but overall this is. great stuff—a zine that spits in 
the faces of its elders and dares them to make something of it. 
(S-28t) 


tok kk 

CONVERGING PATHS Winter Solstice 1989 ($4 from PO Box 
63, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572): A pagan journal that covers a lot of 
ground, linking together diverse parts of the pagan world. This issue 
looks back to the cave paintings at Lascaux and what they can tell 
us, has a (perhaps justifiably) defensive article about being a pagan 
in the military, and several pieces discussing gender and polarity. 
Quite chewy reading, with worthwhile articles in every issue. (S-33) 


kkk 

COSMEP NEWSLETTER Vol. 21 #3 ($50/yr from PO Box 703, 
San Francisco, CA 94101): The Committee of Small Magazine Editors 
and Publishers is a non-profit group for the traditional small 
press—folks who are publishing and want to make some money on 
it, as a first approximation. Most of what you'll find in the newsletter 
is marketing and legal advice, from how to deal with bingo cards 
to instructions on having your book titles exhibited in the COSMEP 
booth at major conventions. (S-8t) 


kkkkk 
CRAMPED AND WET VI ($1 from 314 George, Sioux City, IA 
51103): This time around Kidd Smiley provides mostly zine reviews, 
lots of them and well done at that. There’s also a couple pages of 
words overheard in real life and a great poem by John McKinley 
on drifting away from punk and into being a more staid person. 
Check out the interview with the ten year old kids too. (D-24r) 


took 
CRAWL OR DIE Vol. 5 #11 (SASE from Scott Miller, PO Box 
8531, Salem, MA 01971-8531): This pop culture zine has rounded up 
a batch of stuff to commemorate the end of the 80s, while eschewing 
all the nostalgia that’s already popping up. The most unique page 
is the one where Scott writes comparative reviews of a bunch of 





22 Zines 


sleazy trading cards. Also lots of zine reviews and a few records, 
plus bits of art and clippings. (S-4r) 


kkk kk 

CRITICAL WAVE #14 ($10/yr from Tom Hanlon, 1307 Seaboard, 
Baton Rouge, LA 70810-6062): A collection of news fro the science 
fiction fan scene, mainly British but with some attention to the rest 
of the world. They review conventions and books and fanzines, 
publish longer critical works, prints bits of fan gossip and generally 
act as a bit of glue for this community. Hanlon is the US agent; 
the editors are Steve Green and Martin Tudor. (A4-24r) 


kkk kk 

CRYONICS Vol. 10 #11-Vol. 11 #1 ($2.50 from 12327 Doherty 
St., Riverside, CA 92503): The newsletter of the Alcor Life Extension 
Foundation, one of the more aggressive cryonics groups around. 
Each issue is a mix of news, medical research, and legal notes; #12 
gives a quick overview of the various lawsuits they’re involved in 
trying to preserve our right to “die” as we will. #1 reports on the 
First Foresight Conference on Nanotechnology, which many 
cryonicists see as a great hope for the future of medicine. (HL-40t) 


kk kkk 

CULTWATCH RESPONSE Vol. 2 #1 ($2 from PO Box 1842, 
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1842): CWR is an organization of pagans 
and Wiccans trying to counteract the disinformation being bandied 
about these days about some sort of international Satanic conspiracy. 
They talk primarily with and to law enforcement personnel, pointing 
out the exaggerations and lies in many “cult survivors” stories and 
quoting officials who urge restraint and skepticism. Vital work and 
probably risky for the publishers. (HL-11t) 


kkkkk 
C-VILLE REVIEW Vol. 1 #5-6 ($25/26 issues & a t-shirt from PO 
Box 565, Charlottesville, VA 22902): A community tabloid that’s free 
around Charlottesville. Besides the usual calendar and ads and film 
reviews, #5 has a piece on local litnag TIMBUKTU. They also have 
the good taste to carry Chuck Shepherd’s “News of the Weird” 
column. (T-24t) 


kk kkk 
DADDY #2 ($6 from The Ganymede Press, PO Box 5325, 
Harrisburg, PA 17110-5325): This is a gay publication for Daddies & 
Sons of all ages. It includes explicit fiction, photos and drawings, 
as well as some ruminations on this type of relationship and personal 
ads. There’s a good free speech editorial in this issue, and the whole 
is exceptionally professional. (D-64t) 


kkk kk 
DAILY IMPULSE Vol. 5 #7-8 ($1 from PO Box 90312, San Diego, 
CA 92109): An anarchist broadside with a poster (“George Bush: 
Vegetable or Noxious Weed?” on #7) and fine print on the other. 
With #7 they finish a series on tourism and start considering the 
question of rent, which continues in #8. #8 also has some notes on 
the local music scene and other goings-on. (O-2r) 


kkkkk 
THE DARTMOUTH REVIEW Vol. 10 #1 ($25/yr from PO Box 
343, Hanover, NH 03755): This conservative college paper is currently 
involved in an all-out war with the Dartmouth administration. The 
paper wants to keep the old college song (“Men of Dartmouth”) 
and the traditional Dartmouth Indian; the administration is dedicated 
to getting rid of both. Meanwhile there are notes here for freshmen 
on which professors to avoid (watch out for those feminists!) and 
a guide to the traditions which they claim are vanishing unneces- 
sarily. (T-16t) 
kk kkk 
OTHE DAVID THOMAS ROBERTS BROADSIDE #1 (45¢ SASE 
from PO Box 5243, Kreole Stn., Moss Point, MS 39563): A collection 
of art and writing from David, who is also working on THE 
STREETFIGHTING AESTHETE. This introductory issue features an 
erotic poem and reproductions of some of Roberts’ postmodern 
primitivist wild artworks. (S-5) 
kkekkk 
DECALCOMANIA #70 ($1.25 from Mark Strickert,. 3852 N. 
Oconto, Chicago, IL 60634): This is a club for collectors of radio 
station promotional items and “airchecks”—recordings of the station 
ID and other format information. They keep track of new promo 
items, give out tips on stations worth listening to, and generally 
trade information about their hobby. (S-12r) 








FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


tok 

THE DECADENT WORKER #162-166 ($1/4 issues from Packrat 
Press, PO Box 5498, Atlanta, GA 30307): A wall newspaper published 
by Kerry Thornley, long-time Discordian and FF columnist. He prints 
a medley of stuff, from the thoughts of Mao to corrections of 
misinformation about the Kennedy assassination, from the link 
between rent and starvation to the possible clairvoyance of one of 
Hitler's generals. A peek into the wild world of conspiracies. (S-1) 


kkkkk 

THE DEFENSE MONITOR Vol. XVII #7-8 ($1 from CDI, 1500 
Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005): The Center for 
Defense Information takes an anti-Cold Warrior but sort of realist 
stand about things. They believe in vastly reducing our military but 
certainly not in eliminating it completely. Written for the policy 
community, this is full of foreign affairs arguments and charts 
showing proposed force reductions. (S-8t) 


tok kkk 
DEPROGRAM #3 ($1 CASH/Stamps from PO Box 4542, Seattle, 
WA 98104): A selection of reprints with an alternative/anarchist slant. 
There’s a piece on burning the black flag, a rant about the domination 
of cable TV, and some animal rights stuff that perhaps crosses the 
line to the unethical side. Plenty more is crammed and collaged in 
here, and it will probably make you think in a few spots. (S-14) 


kkkkk 

ODE SAAIE (IRCs from Postbus 61012, 1005 HA Amsterdam, 
NETHERLANDS): This one appears to cover a lot of bases from the 
marginal side of social theory. There’s a text from Karen Eliot, a 
portion of Bucky Fuller's OPERATING MANUAL FOR SPACESHIP 
EARTH, and Bob Black’s review of Hakim Bey’s book on Chaos 
and Ontological Anarchism. All of this, though, is in Dutch, making 
it somewhat less useful to most of my readers. (A4-24t) 


kkkkk 

DETECTIVE STORY MAGAZINE #7 ($4 from Gryphon Publica- 
tions, PO Box 209, Brooklyn, NY 11228-0209): An heir to the old 
pulp tradition, with mostly very traditional mysteries and adventure 
stories. Richard Lupoff contributes “Triptych”, a tale of a murderous 
triangle that moves along quickly. Ernest Leong’s “The Emperor's 
Treasure” is perhaps a bit too concerned to be inscrutably Chinese 
in its setting, but is a good read nonetheless. Herbert Resnicow and 
Peter Winkler also have fine stories here. (D-55r) 


tok kkk 

ODEVACHAN #1 ($15/4 issues from Lynne Parcells, 1310 Sussex 
St., Portage, MI 49002-2625): Formerly THE INSOMNIAC, this one 
had changed more than name. Now it's still a forum for freewheeling 
discussion between MENSAns—on any subject except MENSA politics. 
Nowadays it’s cinema, the war between the sexes, satirical news 
stories, and other goodies, but part of the old spirit is missing. 
(AL-52t) 


kkk 
DHARMA COMBAT #8-9 ($$3 from Keith, PO Box 20593, Sun 
Valley, NV 89433): An open forum for the discussion of metaphysics, 
religion, spirituality, and other matters. Other matters are rather 
prominent in these two issues, including lots of conspiracy theory 
stuff. #8 has a big section on those aliens the government has 
stashed away, and a response from Stang to Bob Black. #9 includes 
Dai Giree’s version of “Jeshua’s Own Story”. Pretty far-out stuff. 
(D-80r) 
tok kok 
ODHARMA SANGHA Winter 1989-90 (SASE and “an attractive 
loose 1st class stamp” from Santa Fe Zen Center, 1404 Cerro Gordo 
Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501): A small Zén newsletter which leads off 
with a lesson from Richard Baker-roshi on the Zen way of 
understanding the Perfections. This is followed by various bits of 
zendo business and a cool poem by Miriam Sagan. (S-6t) 


tk kkk 

ODIALOGUE Vol. 2 #2 ($18/4 issues from PO Box 542, Newcomb 
Hall Stn., Charlottesville, VA 22904): A “magazine of international 
affairs” pitched at the intelligent layman. I’m impressed by how well 
organized it is. This issue is all about Japan, and starts out with 
short bits of basic background—a look at the Japanese constitution, 
the basics of MITI—before proceeding to more substantive articles. 
I certainly learned things about the trade imbalance that I didn’t 
know before. (S-40t) 


at 


“) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


kk kkk 

DIARIST’S JOURNAL #24-25 ($2.50 from 102 W. Water St., 
Lansford, PA 18232): All you ever wanted to know about the wide 
world of diaries, journals, and other personal records. It’s primarily 
excerpts from regular folks’ regular writing, though there’s also some 
attention to famous folks (like Lady Bird Johnson in #24). Articles 
look at things like food in Pepys and Shelley A. Barre does a regular 
column for writers. #25 gets topical for a few pages with San 
Francisco earthquake journal entries. (T-20t) 


kkkkk 
DIRIMENTED CATGUT #8 (Gifts, stamps, or cool road signs” 
from Katrina Kelly, PO Box 557, 18 Taylor Ave., Earlville, NY 13332): 
The zine with the ever-changing name is back with more low-key 
literary efforts. There’s a weird story about a dead racoon, Graham 
Trievel’s column on cereals, and a back cover of graffiti and notes. 
Katrina asks that you not put the zine name on the envelope. (S-6) 


kkk 
DISCUSSION BULLETIN #38-39 ($3/6 issues from PO Box 1564, 
Grand Rapids, MI 49501): A forum for political discussion among 
members of a variety of rather obscure left tendencies, from 
DeLeonism to other forms of somewhat anarchist socialism to 
Wobblies to anarcho-communists. #38 contains some recruiting 
pamphlets and various arguments over fine points of history and 
ideology. #39 has a proposal for dialogue between DeLeonists and 
Greens and some nasty words about the new continental anarchist 
newspaper project. (HL-24) 
kkkkk 
DOOR NO. 3 Vol. 1 #3 ($8/4 issues from PO Box 598, Brookline, 
MA 02146): A tabloid with a little bit of everything in it. There’s a 
spread of collage, an interview with a young member of the John 
Birch Society, a history of exploitation films, and poetry here. There’s 
also a New Orleans travelogue and a bit of movie reviewing. A 
good mix. (T-16t) 
kkkkk 
DOPPELGANGER #11 ($3.85 from Jamie Meyers, 50-B Union 
Ave., Little Falls, NJ 07424): A collection of “nasty” stories and 
poetry—though I might use “icky” as a more apt description of 
some of these. There are Lovecraftian goodies, improbable phobias 
(Ken Wiseman’s “Red Vengeance” does a nice job of playing with 
good news/bad news tension), and just plain revolting ideas (Sandy 
Waldron’s “Georgia”). Outre poetry compliments the deliciously 
upsetting prose. (D-58r) 
kak kk 
THE DOVETAIL Vol. IV #2 (Donation from Vern Bodkin, Azalea 
House, 30 Mariner St., Buffalo, NY 14201): Peace and Social Justice 
news that seems to be centered around 
SUNY-Buffalo. They’re especially strong on 
Central American updates. Letters, vivisection 
and bovine growth hormone also show up 
in this issue. (HL-16t) 


kk kkk 

THE DOWNTRODDEN Vol. 2 #1 (1 
stamp from Bill Lengeman, 193 S. Railroad 
St., Hummelstown, PA 17036): Human rights 
news from around the world, collated from 
a variety of sources. This issue examines the 
situation in Cambodia and the various am- 
nesties for military crimes granted in South 
America recently. It’s also got an extensive, 
though unannotated, list of contact addresses 
for human rights, peace and environmental 


groups. (S-4) 





kkk kk 

DR #63 ($1 from Arthur D. Hlavaty, PO 
Box 52028, Durham, NC 27717): Arthur's 
personalzine is back with a new name but 
the same initials—or rather, the initials are 
now the name itself. He writes of grad school 
in Library Science, attending SF conventions, 
reading fanzines and books, football, com- 
puter programming, and the other bits that 
make up his life. Witty and literate, and proof 


TE0RPLE WEpe Padcind 
dup Some Tet id 
LNE. =pvoy 


Zines 23 


that good things come out of the SF fan community. (S-14t) 


kaekkk 
THE DROOD REVIEW OF MYSTERY Vol. IX #11 ($2 from PO 
Box 8872, Boston, MA 02114): A well-done run-down of current 
mystery (and occasionally adventure or other related genres) books. 
#11 is the holiday issue, with recommendations on mystery 
gift-giving from a batch of authors in the field and a look at new 
things out on video. (S-20t) 


kk kkk 
ODUKKHA.37 (50¢ & a stamp from 5887 Lincoln Ave., Ontario, 
NY 14519): Surreal xerographic art with bits of text, some swiped 
from other sources, some forming sort of minimalist poems, some 
closer to language poetry and other experimental genres. The overall 
tone is very dark, with bits of life amongst the creeping static. (D-12) 


kakkk 

DUMARS REVIEWS #6 ($2 from Terata Publications, PO Box 
810, Hawthorne, CA 90251): Short reviews by Denise Dumars, Todd 
Mecklem and Ralph Vaughan of books, movies, television, small 
press items, stores and other things. They pick things they like and 
use this space to promote them, rather than reviewing everything—in 
particular, unsolicited items are not reviewed. I generally think they 
have pretty good taste about what they choose to feature. (D-24) 


kkk 
ODUMPSTER TIMES #3-4 ($1 from Wanda S. Duck, PO Box 
80083, Akron, OH 44308): A collection of drawings and writings on 
everything from anarchy to the Kinks. #4 is the “Post-Modern Death” 
issue, with various writers trying to figure out what postmodernism 
is, writing about postmodern sex, and otherwise having fun. Lots 
of unexpected surpises lurking in the pages here. (HL-20) 
Kak kk 
THE DUPLEX PLANET #102-103 ($6/4 issues from PO Box 1230, 
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866): Editor David Greenberger is still active 
interviewing the residents and denizens of various nursing homes 
and elderly center. He doesn’t ask them ordinary questions—rather, 
this is stuff like “How did Chinese food become so popular in 
America?” The answers are often charming and frequently out- 
rageously surprising. Personality is not dead. (D-12) 


kk kkk 

DEACH LEAF FEELS #1 ($1 (?) from BobEE, 4930 Pershing, St. 
Louis, MO 63108): A rather personal journal of anarchy and 
opposition to the system in general. BobEE believes that demolishing 
history is the key to anarchy and he may be right. Other concerns 
include reasons to boycott fast food joints and the shape of our 
domination over nature. A bit scattered and non-linear but 
thought-provoking. (M-20r) 






kakkK 

DEARTHDOG NEWS Vol. 1 #1 ($6/yr 
from Marie Mundaca, Snevil Books, PO Box 
16430, Jersey City, NJ 07306): “The official 
publication of Club Fred, the Fred Norris 
Fan Club””. Beyond that, I have no idea at 
all what this is about; reading apparently 
fictitious gossip about some person I do not 
know pales quickly. And the Kurt Waldheim 
jokes & cartoons are beyond the bounds of 
good taste. (S-4t) 


kkkkk 

ECOMEDIA #64-66 (Donation from PO 
Box 915, Stn. F, Toronto, ONT, M4Y 2N9, 
CANADA): A biweekly anarchist publication 
-with a Canadian focus but coverage of 
international affairs as well. Native peoples 
and women’s issues are featured prominent- 
ly in #65. #66 has a chunk of news on Nazi 
skinheads in Canada. (HL-4t) 


kkkkk 

OTHE EDGE Vol. 1 #1 ($15/yr from PO 
Box 3223, Madison, WI 53704): A new 
political paper that says it wants to romote 
“imformed divergence”, though at least in 
this first issue they're pretty thoroughly 
liberal (with perhaps some radical season- 
- ing). Topics include abortion, world affairs, 











24 


and a local neighborhood that’s been getting bad press. (T-12t) 


tok kk 

GEGGHEAD, or “HOW I CHANGED THE WORLD” #3 ($2 (?) 
from PO Box 33393, San Diego, CA 92103): A zine of political and 
social alternatives, from avoiding companies that test on animals to 
Elliot Cantsin’s pocket history of art movements. Ace Backwords 
has an essay on homelessness (as a former street person, he has 
some expertise), and there’s also interviews with a couple of 
musicians including Masters of the Obvious. A real medley, but it 
holds together pretty well. (S-30r) 


kkk 

THE EMERALD PATH #4-5 ($2 from GreenSheep, PO Box 1353, 
Placentia, CA 92670): A New Age newsletter with varied interests 
including channeling, astrology, and Tarot. #4 includes an interesting 
article asking for openmindedness, written by Catherine Groves from 
CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY. In #5 Emerald Forrest 
explains what channeling feels like from the channel’s point of view. 
(S-12t) 




































took kk 

ENDEAVOR Vol. 1 #2 ($9/6 issues from PO Box 23511, Houston, 
TX 77228-3511): This is a prison support journal with a difference—it’s 
put together by men on Death Row in Texas, with the support of 
the War Resisters League and other outside groups. This issue 
explains why they’re on a rotating hunger strike, and offers much 
insight into the inhumane way we treat these prisoners even before 
we kill them. Blunt and scary. (T-8r) 


wk kkk 

ENDLESS STRUGGLE #11 ($1 from PO Box 69601, Stn. K, 
Vancouver, BC, V5K 4W7, CANADA): An anarchist journal with an 
explicitly revolutionary (violent if and as necessary) internationalist 
Perspective. They're one of the more astute voices from the newer 
action-oriented sector of the movement. #11 includes notes on the 
DOA at the San Francisco gathering, as well as news from Holland, 
West Germany, Mexico and elsewhere. (S-20t) 


kkkkk 

END TIMES PROPHECY NEWSLETTER Vol. 4 #9 (Donation 
from PO Box 81526, Las Vegas, NV 89180): Apparently some people 
never learn. With the last trump not having blown on Rosh 
Hashanah, 1988, as was previously predicted, these folks have 
announced a new timetable for the end of the world. The second 
coming is now scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, 1998, with 
the last Trump seven years before, which means we'll be into the 
time of tribulations soon. Stay tuned. (S-4t) 


tok kkk 


ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY 

OLIVING. LIKE FISH Vol. 4 #4 ($10/yr from Breakfast 
Communications Corporation, PO Box 176, Paoli, PA 19301); A 
newsletter for “people establishign the aquatic age”, this one 
manages to be tongue in cheek while still reviewing music and 
otherwise discussing entertainment. This issue looks at some of 
the changes in the last decade and what they might mean. (S-4t) 

























tok kkk 
ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES Vol. Il #3 ($5/yr from SECS, 
1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820): Students for Environmental 
Concerns is a student group at Illinois State University which does 
a pretty good job of both preaching and practicing—among other 
things, the newsletter is on recycled paper. They discuss local 
activities designed to ease the strain on the Earth as well as national 
and international news. This issue looks at global warming and the 
viability of photovoltaic power. (5-20t) 


Kk kkk 

EOTU Oct. 1989 ($4 from 1810 W. State #115, Boise, ID 83702); 
This experimental litmag goes with a theme each issue, and for this 
one that theme is “Ravaged Innocence”. This results in a more 
gruesome than usual selection, with “The Altar Boy” by Vincent 
Negri and “The Rape of Margie Dell” by Jeffery Lewis standing out 
as especially gross. Whatever they're doing, the mix of typestyles 
and careful choice of art always makes EOTU look good. (D-76t) 


Kkkkkk 


Zines 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


DEPOCA UPDATE Winter 1989 ($25/yr from APOCA/Farth Island, 
300 Broadway #28, San Francisco, CA 94133): This one tells about 
the efforts of the Environmental Project On Central America, a group 
which is trying to counteract some of the negative effects of US 
intervention in the area while helping the environment. The lead 
article is on the recent Fourth Biennial Congress on the Fate and 
Hope of the Earth, held in Managua. (S-8t) 


tok ok 

EQUAL TIME #200/201 ($30/yr from Star of the North Publishing 
Co., 711 W. Lake St. #505, Minneapolis, MN 55408): A special end 
of the decade double issue for this fat paper for lesbians and gay 
men. They cover political, social and medical news, with a local 
focus but enough national stories to make this an attractive paper 
for those out of the area. Generally very progressive, and willing 
to tackle tough issues when the need arises. (T-36t) 


tok kkk 
ERC NEWSLETTER Dec. 1989 ($10/yr from PO Box 81, Floyd, 
VA 24091): The Educational Resource Cooperative is a group of folks 
in Floyd who come together by mail and in person to build a better 
and more fun community. This issue has poetry, plans for a flea 
trap, news of the LETSysytem in town, and a calendar of local 
events. Friendly stuff. (S-10) 


tok kkk 

EROSPIRIT Vol. 4 #8 ($4.50 from Julian Spalding, PO Box 35160, 
Albuquerque, NM 87176): Julian followed on the Harmonic Conver- 
gence to make this a forum for New Age issues. Lately, though, 
he’s discovered another Truth: multi-level marketing is the key to 
the “Ring of Empowerment”. It’s sort of a strange marriage, 
libertarianism and the New Age. Meanwhile, all the usual astrology 
and Big Events and stuff are here as well. (S-24r) 


tok kok 4 

THE ESSEMIAN WAY Vol. 9 #1 ($7 from SMC, PO Box 1407, 
San Francisco, CA 94101): The quarterly publication of the Service 
of Mankind Church, a group preaching (and practicing) “Tantric 
Shaktism”. This spiritual path seems Strongly related to female 
dominant S&M, although they assure people that there are 
differences. Much of the journal is fiction, attempting to outline the 
way of life they find to be correct. Members also write in with 
personal experiences in the service of women. (S-24t) 


took Ik 

ETHEL THE AARDVARK #27 (A$12/yr from Melbourne Science 
Fiction Club, PO Box 212, World Trade Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 
3005, AUSTRALIA): A clubzine (that is, a science fiction zine 
produced under the auspices of a particular club) from down under. 
They run heavily towards accounts of what’s been happening lately, 
with con reports and meeting notes in every issue. They also track 
overseas fanzine production rather closely. Occasionally seems a bit 
lacking in direction, but never short on enthusiasm. (A4-24t) 


tok ok 

EULIPIAN #5 ($2 from PO Box 61387, Seattle, WA 98121): 
Beautiful large-format computer-enhanced art and experioddica. A 
few underground regulars are creeping in now, with pieces from 
Geof Huth and Paul Weinman in this issue, as well as FF columnist 
Belka Stamas. Wild collage, multi-colored photocopy and unusual 
paper stocks are among the hallmarks of EULIPIAN, a magazine 
that looks different fro the mass but still great. (O-13t) 


tok tok 

EUPHEMISMS ($65/4 issues from Norman Shapiro, PO Box 101, 
Brightwaters, NY 11718): For that price you get four handcrafted 
signed limited editions featuring Norman’s multi-media homoerotic 
pornography. He moves back and forth from drawings to collages 
to the computer screen, investigating just what is art and what is 
pornography. There’s no roadmap for the critic, but he’s a sincere 
guy and this is sincere work. (D-12) 


Kk kh kk 
EUROPEAN TRASH CINEMA #6 ($6/12 issues from Craig 
Ledbetter, PO Box 5367, Kingwood, TX 77325): A small zine of gore 
and horror and other b-movies which concentrates exclusively on 
imported European flicks. #6 has an article by Dale Pierce on the 
various faces behind this sort of cinema in Spain, plus the usual 
batch of reviews. (D-8r) 


kk tok 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


EVERYONE’S BACKYARD Vol. 7 #4 ($25/yr from CCHW, PO 
Box 926, Arlington, VA 22216): A networking journal from a group 
that coordinates campaigns against toxic waste and big polluters all 
over the country. This issue is mostly made up of excerpts from 
talks given at their recent annual convention, and has a list of 
literature available to activists for nominal fees. (S-12t) 


kk kkk 
OTHE EXPLODING CAT #1 (IRCs (?) from Sandi Tan, 11 
Balmoral Road, 01-01 Eden Spring, Singapore 1025, SINGAPORE): 
A collection of humor, collage, and poetry. Highlights in this issue 
include directions for knitting a sweater for your pet fish, a colorful 
miniposter, and some bizarre short stories. The only zine I've ever 
seen from Singapore, and they want outside contacts. (S-20r) 


kk kkk 

EXTRA! Vol. 3 # 1 ($4 from FAIR, 130 W. 25th St., New York, 
NY 10001): Published by the group Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, 
this one looks at the way the major media covers major stories...and 
often comes away disgusted. From the decline of CBS News to mere 
gossip to the perils of staged news stories to the labeling of Contra 
attacks as “Mr. Ortega’s War”, it’s all here. The examination of CBS 
in this issue is particularly excellent. (S-16t) 


kkk kk 
OFANS OF HORROR #8 ($2 from Joseph Olszewski Jr., 2802 
Shelley Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19152): A horror fanzine that doesn’t 
stick to a particular genre. Lots of stuff is reviewed here, from 
current movies to mass-market paperbacks to Lovecraft reprints. 
They also run short fiction, horrific art, and a reasonably long letter 
column. And if you're looking for Freddy Kreuger fans, you can 

find them through the ads here. (S-36) 


kkk kk 
THE FANTASY COLLECTOR #213 ($2 from Camille Cazedessus, 
Jr., 7080 Highland Rd./Bayou Fountaine, Baton Rouge, LA 70808): 
An “adzine” for folks who are into collecting SF and fantasy 
paperbacks and related items. Much of it consists of ads from folks 
who have things to sell, but there’s also a few feature articles and 
a spread of pictures of old covers. (S-20) 


Kkkkk 

OFANTASY FEDERATION Vol. 1 #1 ($3/3 issues 
from Jeff Cohen, 50 Shelley Ln., Great Neck, NY 
11023); This is for the frustrated booking agent that 
lurks inside of many wrestling fans. The idea is 
simple: they report on matches, just as any other 
wrestling newsletter does, but in this case the 
matches are fictitious. Readers are encouraged to 
send in accounts of their own fictional dream 
matches. (S-8r) 


kkk kk 
OFAR CORNER (50¢ (?) from Obscure Research 
Labs, ASUC #131, Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 
94720): “A Newsletter and Journal of Obscure 
Datapaths” which is interested in all sorts of flaky 
stuff. This includes the MJ-12 UFO documents (a 
short bibliography is provided here) and the curing 
of miniature marshmallows to the consistency of 

those in Lucky Charms. (D-4) 


hen 3 















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Back issues $1 + Subs $5/yr (3iss-)! 


#4 - Survival Research Labs, Fire 
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#5 - Killdozer, Audiofile, Alan 

Jenkins 







Checks payable to Mark Lo 
File 13, Box 1/75, Concord, MA 01742 


Zines 25 


kkk 

FATAL VISIONS #6 ($16/4 issues from PO Box 133, Northcote 
3070, AUSTRALIA): A wide-ranging film zine from down under. 
While the bulk of this focuses in on the usual b-movie/so-bad-it’s- 
good/exploitation fare, they range from a review of Batman to a 
section on porn films and what's wrong with them. Reviews of 
Aussie movies and notes on censorship distinguish them from U.S. 
counterparts.(A4-24r) 


kkkkk 


> FENRIR #8 (6 IRCs from Thormynd Press, PO Box 4, Church 


Stretton, Shropshire, UK): A Satanist journal—or at least one from 
somewhere on the left hand path—which has some strong ideas 
about how to go about things. #8 looks at the esoteric teachings of 
their group, which range from Alchemical ideas to complex 
instructions for a board game designed to teach holistic symbolic 
thinking. (A4-16) 
kk kkk 

OFERMENT Vol. V #5-9 ($20/yr from Roy Lisker, 152 Kisor Rd., 
Highland, NY 12528): Although in the past Lisker has written about 
subjects as diverse as crackpots in physics, the flaws in Chomskian 
linguistics, and classical music, the current volume is devoted 
(following a trip to France) to French intellectual life. These five 
issues begin the serialization of “The quest for Alexander Grothen- 
dieck”, a tale of wandering the country looking for a reclusive 


' mathematician. Lisker’s peng tends to be idiosyncratic, but 


other than that his writing flows wonderfully; a true raconteur. In 
#9 he does a wonderful non-linear essay on the chances of actually 
selling some of this stuff. (HL-20r) 


kkkkk 

FESTERING BRAIN SORE #8 ($8.50/6 issues from David R. 
Williams, 249 Tremont St. #1, North Tonawanda, NY 14120): This 
little zine starts off from splatter movies and other cinematic marvels, 
but then gets much sleazier. Short fiction features sick sex, 
necrophilia, rape and murder. The comics are just as bad, if not 
worse. There’s a short Kitten Natividad interview and a look at 
some of the films of Joe Christ in this issue. (S-26) 


kkk 


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A favorite among thousands of 
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26 Zines 


FIFTH ESTATE Vol. 24 #3 ($5/yr from PO Box 02548, Detroit, 
MI 48201): Back after a bit of a breather with a giant-sized issue, 
_ FE is still leading the anarchist charge against the megamachine (as 
it's dubbed in one article in this issue). Their general tone is very 
critical or technology, and they continually look for a way to combine 
environmentalism and anarchism into a truly radical movement to 
save the earth and the people on it. Topics here include the ideology 
of oil spills, the ’89 anarchist gathering, events in China and the 
most recent Earth First! Round River Rendezvous. Feisty and 
wonderful. (T-32t) , 


tok 


FILM 
THEY WON'T STAY DEAD #7 ($1 from Brian Johnson, 11 
Werner Rd., Greenville, PA 16125): A zine of “odd video stuff” 
that chooses to focus on a few films each time rather than review 


everything in the local video store. In this issue, Dave Szurek 
dismembers “I Drink Your Blood” while the editor pukes over 
“Burial Ground”. There’s also a lighter feature on Cleveland’s 
horror-show host “The Ghoul”. (D-16r) 





kk kkk 

FILM THREAT #20-21 ($16/6 issues from PO Box 951, Royal 
Oak, MI 48068): One of the best (and most outrageous) of the zines 
devoted to weird movies. #20 is pretty close to an all-women issue, 
with pieces on Karen Carpenter, Lydia Lunch, Betty Page and Kitten 
Natividad anchoring it. Lots of photos (including Betty in bondage), 
letters, and no-holds-barred reviews of underground videos make 
this a winner. #21 has a fine piece on crazed Christmas films and 
a talk with Traci Lords as she tries to make it as a legitimate actress. 
(S-64t) 


akkkk 
THE FINE LINE #4 ($1 from The Alliance. 826 Euclid Ave., 
Syracuse, NY 13210): The Alliance is a group of people, some among 
the many, who have been labeled at one time or another as mentally 
ill. They’re organized for self-help and for opposition to a psychiatric 
system that still thinks electroshock is fine. Lots of first-hand accounts 
and shocking stories here, as well as hope for the future. (S-20) 


kk kkk 
OTHE FLAMING AFFRO #3 ($1 from 204 Elmhurst Dr., 
Chickasha, OK 73018): Well, it looks like this started life as a simple 
skatezine and then mutated. There are still photos of those daring 
young men (why no young women?) on their flying boards, but 
there’s also short stories, collage art, a dictionary translating hickoid 
into English, and more. Wild and apparently full of in jokes. (D-36) 


kkk 
FLAMING SIN! #2 (50¢ from PO Box 726, University Stn., 
Syracuse, NY 13210): A collection of tabloid and other clippings, bits 
‘of religious tracts, and short fiction collaged together to make a 
mockery of the future. A lot of people aren’t going to like seeing 
Elvis crucified on a swastika on the front cover here. (S-8t) 


tok kkk 

FLY Vol. Il #2-4 ($20/yr from PO Box 5554, Stn. A, Toronto, 
ONT, M5W 1N7, CANADA): A magazine which comes on carefully 
typeset postcards, one per month. They tend to be enigmatic, on 
the fringes of mail art but with lyrical texts as well as pictures. 
“Driving” seems to be the theme of #2, or at least driving as a 
metaphor for getting through society. #3 dumps Christmas in favor 
of the industrial-strength Xma$; #4 opens the 90’s with similar 
cynicism. Bathroom reading for those paralyzed with fear. (M-2t) 


kkkkk 

FNORD! #2 ($1.50 from Seth Tisue, PO Box 1083, Wheaton, IL 
60189): “A revolting miasma of unrelieved perversion and desire”, 
whatever that’s supposed to mean. In practice, the zine opens up 
with a lot of work from the margins: poetry from John Bennett, Ed 
Lawrence’s “Autopsy Turvy”, Bob Black’s snappy definitions, a 
parallel-structured poem by Geof Huth, and more. The back half is 
mainly reviews, which select a few items from the underground and 
hold them up for close scrutiny and deep critiques. (HL-44t) 


kkk Ik 
FOCUS Vol. 4 #4/5/6 ($10 from The Fair-Witness Project Inc., 
4219 W. Olive Ave. #247, Burbank, CA 91505):, This is a UFO 
investigatory zine co-edited by William Moore, who is quite a 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


controversial figure in Ufology these days. This special issue has 
the text of his Las Vegas speech, in which he revealed that he’d 
helped the Air Force out with some disinformation schemes in order 
to gain their confidence and locate real information. (S-20) 


kkkkk 
OFOREST VOICE Vol. 1 #1 ($20/yr from Native Forest Council, 
PO Box 2171, Eugene, OR 97402): A special report on the state of 
America’s National Forests. In case you didn’t already know, big 
chunks of them are being clearcut and loaded on to ships bound 
for Japan. The pictures here are sickening, the text sobering. (T-12t) 


tk kkk 

FOSFAX #144-146 ($12/6 issues from Falls of the Ohio Science 
Fiction and Fantasy Association (FOSFA), PO Box 37281, Louisville, 
KY 40233-7281): This science fiction fanzine is suffering from a crisis 
of material: they’re going bankrupt trying to print all the good stuff 
they receive. The main culprit is the letter column, with long missives 
from dozens of well-known fans and pros. In the article department, 
they run to reviews, whether these be of books or conventions. 
With #146, they've switched to a bimonthly schedule. (S-52r) 


tk kkk 

FRACTAL REPORT #5 ($23/6 issues from J. de Rivaz, c/o Reeves 
Telecommunications, West Towan House, Porthtowan, Cornwall, TR4 
8AX, UK): A newsletter for those reasonably skilled in programming 
who wish to explore computer images of the Mandelbrot set and 
its relatives. It’s a shame that they don’t have color printing, but 
even the monochrome screen dumps here are rather interesting. 
Languages used include C, Pascal, and Forth. (A4-20) 


kkkkk 

OFREE ASSOCIATION Vol. II #1 ($1 (?) from Youth Against 
Militarism, c/o Friends for a Non-Violent World, 2025 Nicollet Ave. 
#203, Minneapolis, MN 55404): Writing by young people for young 
people about the possibility of a world without war. There are many 
familiar concerns here, including US intervention in Nicaragua and 
the behavior of the armed forces. But the #1 issue is military 
recruiting in the schools, and they do their best to emphasize that 
there are alternatives. (S-24t) 


kk kkk 

FREEDOM NETWORK NEWS #24 ($20/yr from ISIL, 9308 
Farmington Dr., Richmond, VA 23229): This is the first issue of this 
Libertarian newsletter since the Society for Individual Liberty and 
the Libertarian International merged into the International Society 
for Individual Liberty. It looks pretty much as it always has (back 
when it was published by LI)—a mix of news and networking and 
outreach, all in bite-sized chunks, and ranging around the world. 
Some good information here, and plenty of ties to other freedom- 
centered groups. (S-17t) 


lefehahatel 

THE FREEDOM WRITER Vol. 6 #5 (Donation from Simon, 
Porteous & Associates, Inc., PO Box 589, Great Barrington, MA 
01230): This newsletter examines the relations between church and 
State from the point of view of wanting the churches to stay out 
of politics. They comment on the more flamboyant personalities in 
the religious right and are in general a good source of news. Letters 
from readers also bring out good points. (S-4t) 


tok kk 
THE FREEMAN Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 (On Request from 30 S. 
Broadway, Irvington-on-Hudson, NY 10533): A journal of free-market 
ideology and opinion. Typical articles in the January issue include 
“The Folly of Rent Control” and “The Investor as Hero”. Most of 
the authors here would allow some role for government in the Good 
Society, but only a strictly: limited one. (S-40t) 


kk kkk 

FROM THE MOUNTAIN Sept.-Oct. 1989 (Donation from PO 
Box 488, Byron, MI 48418): Put out by Robert Miles, this is one of 
the longest-running bits of far right literature I see these days. Miles 
generally avoids outright racist ranting (though from his endorse- 
ments of JB Stoner, the KKK, et al, it’s clear where, his ideas lie), 
preferring instead to emphasize solidarity among the Folk and the 
dangers of trusting the government. In this issue he, indulges in 
some “If I Were King” daydreaming about his version of the just 
society. (S-12) 


kkk kk 


¥ 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


FROSTBITE FALLS FAR-FLUNG FLIER Vol. 4 #2 ($5/4 issues 
from Charles Ulrich, c/o Swick, 6002 Redondo Ct. NW, Albuquerque, 
NM 87107): This newsletter is devoted to Rocky and Bullwinkle, 
Crusader Rabbit, and the other cartoon creations of Jay Ward. This 
being the first issue since Ward’s recent death, much of the space 
is given over to his biography and accomplishments. There’s also 
some Frostbite Falls trivia and a look at the Crusader Rabbit pilot. 
(S-14) 


kkk kk 
FUNHOUSE MIRROR #2-3 ($1 from 853 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. 
#203, Naples, FL 33942): A high school underground newspaper 
with a classic mix of silliness and nastiness. They pick on jocks and 
teachers, print greeting cards and centerfolds, encourage folks to get 
involved and generally seem to have a pretty good time. (S-16r) 


kkk kk 
OFUNNY PAGES #1 ($1 & SASE from 154 S. Hedges St., Dayton, 
OH 45403-2222): A collection of jokes, many of them unfit for polite 
company. In fact, whether it’s obscene, sexist, racist, ablist or 
whatever type of humor that offends you, it’s here. Just to set the 
tone, it starts out with a page each on the humorous value of a 
‘couple of dirty words. Should be a big success. (S-9) 


took tok 

FUSE Vol. XIII #1/2 ($15/5 issues from 183 Bathurst St., First Fl., 
Toronto, ONT, M5T 9Z9, CANADA): A magazine of arts criticism 
and opinion. #1/2 is a dounble issue, with reviews of experimental 
films, feminist videos, an exhibition of AIDS posters, performance 
art (including a ballet for trucks), and even (in a connection with 
the underground we’ve seen in FF) some work from Violence & 
The Sacred). Mostly Canadian-oriented, mostly professional/critical 
in tone. (S-64t) 


kkk kk 

OTHE GAIA REVIEW Vol. 1 #1 ($3.50 from The Consortium 
for Gaia Development, PO Box 117, Peterborough, NH 03458): These 
folks are trying to put Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis on a firm scientific 
basis, startign with developing a new interdisciplinary scientific 
language based on QM ideas. The ideas they throw into the stew 
range from well-accepted (chaos theory) to utter poppycock 
(Sheldrake’s “morphogenetic fields”. Overall, they may well be 
making progress, though their inclusion of ritual and other 
subjectivities will inevitably alienate them from the scientific 
mainstream. (S-38t) 


kkkkk 
OTHE GAINESVILLE IGUANA Vol. 4 #4 ($5-10/yr from CISPLA, 
PO Box 14712, Gainesville, FL 32604): A community calendar and 
magazine of peace and social justice issues. There’s quite a bit on 
Latin America here, as well as a long piece on statehood for the 
District of Columbia and some opposition words from ex-CIA agent 
John Stockwell. (S-16t) 


tototk tok 

THE GATE Jan. 1990 ($1.50 from PO Box 43518, Richmond 

Heights, OH 44143): A journal of Forteana—those strange and 

wonderful happenings in this world that don’t quite fit in with the 

“established theories of how things run. Telekinesis, circles in grain 

fields, recovered bits of UFOs; these are a few of the topics. Tends 

od be a bit low in source citations, but light and enjoyable reading. 
(S-16) 


tok 

GAY COMMUNITY NEWS Vol. 17 #19-25 ($33/yr from 62 
Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116): National news and culture articles 
for a gay and lesbian audience. #22 has a good interview with the 
people behind the “Drawing the Line” lesbian photography exhibit. 
#24 includes thoughts about the 80s and the 90s from a whole bunch 
of community leaders. #25 reports on the AIDS activist demonstration 
that blocked the Rose Parade and some thoroughly homophobic 
actions by Jordan Marsh security guards. (T-16t) 


kk kkk 
GENII Vol. 53 #1-2 ($35/yr from PO Box 36068, Los Angeles, 
CA 90036): A trade journal for the professional stage magician. They 
pass along the’ latest news and gossip about members of the 
profession, print instructions for new effects (from card tricks to 
grand illusions) and talk to masters of the craft. Siegfried and Roy 
are featured in #1; Irene Larsen of the Magic Castle in #2. (S-64t) 


kkkkk 





Zines ae 


4 GNOSIS #14 ($5 from PO Box 14217, San Francisco, CA 


94114-0217): This “Journal of the Western Inner Traditions” remains 
interesting and informative—although I’m not sure the information 
is always to be trusted. #14’s theme is “The Dark Side”, with 
Inanna’s descent into hell, some European mystics with neo-fascist 
links, Hawaiian kahunas, and much more. The book reviews and 
letters are always worth reading, and the ads are getting nuttier 
with every issue, as the esoteric looney-tunes come out of the 
woodwork. Fortunately the editors are a level-headed bunch, so this 
serves as mere comic relief. (S-88t) ; 


tok tok 

GOD IS AN ASSHOLE #6 ($1 (?) from S.M. Steppenwolf, 1901 
7th St., Long Beach, CA 90813): A somewhat slapdash zine of 
alternative politics and ideas. There’s lots of Earth First! stuff (pro 
and con, but mostly pro) in this issue, thoughts on recycling the 
campus paper, and scattered bits of anarchy. They've also got zine 
reviews and the latest pieces of the case against Ron Gould (lots of - 
heat, but no documentation). (D-20r) 


kk kkk 

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH ME #2-3 (25¢ from 320 W. Oak #B, 
Greenville, IL 62246): An 11x17 collection of poetry, zine reviews, 
cartoons, and ranting. The contents generally seem to take a negative 
view of the world, but there’s a lot of variation, and no clear editorial 
direction. Would make a nice poster at work if you want to confuse 
those you work with. #3 goes to a more standard zine layout instead 
of posterism. (O-2r/S-4r)) 


kkkkk 

DGOING DOWN SWINGING #9 (A$8 from Myron Lysenko, PO 
Box 64 Coburg, Victoria 3058, AUSTRALIA): An impressive perfect- 
bound literary annual, featuring Australian writers. Whether a 
national style or just the editors’ preferences, many of the stories 
and poems here seem to be searching at the roots of alienation with 
the system. If I had to pick one thing here I'd take Bob Engwerda’s 
story “The Industrial Complex”, a dystopian tale of a man slowly 
crushed by the job he is too naive even to hate. (D-124t) 


kkk 

GOING GAGA #5 (42 from Gareth Branwyn, 2630 Robert Walker 
Pl., Arlignton, VA 22207): This is the “Manifestos” issue of this zine 
of intellectual margins. It includes work from Dada and Cyberpunk, 
as well as currently-unknown movements. As an insert there’s the 
mini-sized A CHILD’S GUIDE TO DEMACHANIFESTOISM, with 
words that flop back and forth from sentence to sentence. A din 
of movements, like an industrial noise band tuning up. (HL-24t) 


kKkkkk 
OGOLDENSEAL Vol. 15 #4 ($12.50/yr from The Cultural Center, 
Capitol Complex, Charleston, WV 25305): “West Virginia Traditional 
Life” in a sligk magazine with lots of articles and pictures. Among 
the stories in this issue are the annual Smoot family reunion, the 
running of a cigar company, and the retirement of a man who ran 
a rural grocery store from the back of a large truck. Music, hams, 


‘missionaries and more. (S-72t) 


kk kkk 

G/RAFFITI Vol. Il #12 ($5/12 issues from Camelopard Society, 
PO Box 16898, San Diego, CA 92116): The Camelopards are a society 
for high-IQ people to get together and have fun without a lot of 
bureaucratic structure. The magazine gives over a good deal of space 
to announcing their activities—they have a busy social schedule—but 
also lots of essays, generally on the humorous side. To join costs 
$18 and requires proof of 98th percentile IQ (S-24t) 


took 

OGRAIN OF SALT #5. ($15/yr from Delaware Valley Skeptics, 
1426 Locust St. #36D, Philadelphia, PA 19102): The Delaware Valley 
Skeptics appear to be a regional offshoot of CSICOP, for folks who 
don’t get enough debunking from the parent organizations. This 
issue will be of interest to pagans as well as hardheaded rationalists, 
as the main feature is an attack on the current belief in vast Satanic 
conspiracies. They also review what they've been up tot his year 
and poke hard at astrology. (T-4t) 


kkkkk 
GREEN. ANARCHIST #22 (£8/10 issues from Box H, 34 Cowley 
Road, Oxford OX4, UK): A synthesis of anarchist and green ideas 
which is one of the best sources I see for the state of the movement 
in the British Isles. This issue has a special section on “The Green 





28 Zines 


And Black Economy”, with a wide variety of points of view 
represented, and ideas which anyone can use to subvert capitalism. 
Nice letter column and anti-taxation poster as well. (A4-24t) 


kk kkk 
GREENHELL #10 ($1 from Jon Drucker, PO Box 6687, Albany, 
NY 12206-6687): The final issue of this, sometimes-silly, sometimes- 
feisty tabloid (last I heard Jon still had plenty of copies for sale). 
Inside is more political ranting, Bob Black on the art strike, poetry, 
kidnappings by aliens, and a dead Romanian dictator. (T-12) 


kkkkk 

GREEN ISLANDS Vol. I #10-12 (Donation from PO Box 254, 
Ganges, BC, V0S 1E0, CANADA): This is a short green-oriented 
paper which tries to get facts and ideas out to the community at 
large. Their format is terse, which encourages people to read the 
whole thing. Short bits of environmental news are here together 
with ideas on what to do on both the community and household 
level. (L-2t) 


kkkke 
GREEN MULTILOGUE Vol. 4 #5 ($6 from 390 Jones Ave., 
Toronto, ONT, M4J 3G3, CANADA): A forum for discussion between 
members of the Canadian Green Party and interested observers. It’s 
not a discussion meant to settle anything, but an exploration of 
points of view. Topics include Party structure, sustainability, 
worldwide tactics and strategy, capitalism and feminism. (S-48) 


kkk kk 

GREEN SYNTHESIS #32 ($10/8 issues from LED, PO Box 1858, 
San Pedro, CA 90733): This is one of the quasi-official newsletters 
of the US Greens, and a place where a lot of interesting debates 
are taking place. In this issue, various folks fro the Left Green 
Network defend themselves against charges that they’re not really 
green enough, and the social ecology/deep ecology debate continues. 
They also feature Green news from around the world. (S-16t) 


tk kkk 
GRIND Vol. 2 #7-8 ($5/12 issues from Richard Green, PO Box 
32, Old Bridge, NJ 08857): A monthly single-sheet of well-written 
movie reviews, tending towards the sort of stuff you see in 
splatterzines but without the same blood worship. #7 includes bits 
on True Love and the new version of Phantom of the Opera. #8 
features Richard’s best and worst ten lists for 1989. (S-2) 


kkkkk 

THE GRINDHOUSE JOURNAL #7 ($$1 from Vincent Basilicato, 
159 McDole Rd., Ellenville, NY 12428): A small zine of strange 
movies that branches out a bit, from an Ellison book to a Holy 
Modal Rounders record to a comparison of Bewitched and I Dream 
of Jeannie. Vincent tells a horror story of a trip to a film convention, 
and packs in some reviews (of course). Dave Szurek does a column 
here as well. (D-28r) 


kkkkk 

GROINK! #2 ($1 from Satanburger Laboratories, PO Box 22605, 
Eugene, OR 97402): There seems to be some sort of elaborate 
fantasy/conspiracy world underlying this zine. It’s a mad mix of 
artwork, ranting, transcriptions of conversation during its own layout, 
weird music and stickers. The principal perpetrator appears to be 
the mysterious Dr. Zen Buddha. Some flavor of SubGenius or 
Discordian propaganda, but definitely off in a world of its own. 
(S-20r) 


kk kkk 
GUIDELINES MAGAZINE Vol. II #4 ($15/yr from Susan Salaki, 
PO Box 608, Pittsburg, MO 65724): This one started out as a emple 
service to provide submission guidelines for various small press 
Magazines from one central source. Susan still does that, but 
increasingly she publishes feature articles as well. #4 includes a look 
at poetry contests, some advice from a professional magazine 
designer, and ideas on writing for trade publications, among other 
things. (HL-32t) 
kkkkk 
HAPA #8 ($2 from Joe Singer, PO Box 135, Harrison, ID 
83833-0135): That two bucks suffices to open an account for this 
Helpful Amateur Publishers Association, but participation is required 
to get copies. We talk about everything from the significance of the 
small press to the best way to make corrections on mechanicals. 
Membership is small yet, so it doesn’t take a lot of time to participate. 
(S-11) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


tok kkk 
HARVEST Vol. 10 #2 ($11/8 issues from PO Box 228, S. 
Framingham, MA 01701): With a recent computer upgrade, this 
pagan zine is looking better than ever. Their primary thrust is 
towards networking: they publish letters, ads, news clippings and 
reviews from all over. #2 includes some notes on working as a 
solitary and a comparison of 12-step programs with shamanism. 
(S-34t) 
tok kkk 
HAUNTS #17 ($3.50 from Nightshade Publications, PO Box 3342, 
Providence, RI 02906): A perfect-bound anthology of fantastic horror. 
Pamela Holbrook’s “Jacky” is a story of modern horror with an 
unexpected twist at the end. Phil Proctor delivers “Azazel”, an 
encounter with a supernatural being who ends up getting the better 
of the protagonist. Fourteen stories in all, most well-done, in a nice 
package. (D-96t) 
kkkkk 
HEADLINES #18 ($1 (?) from PO Box 5094, Winter Park, FL 
32793-5094): A SubGenius periodical made up mainly of clippings 
from the major media, with disasters and severed heads predominat- 
ing. “Bob” wanders in and out, and Ahmed Fishmonger supplies 
an instructionary comic in this issue. This will help the hard-core 
Bobbies survive while waiting for the long-promised STARK FIST. 
(S-12t) 


tk kkk 
HEADPUMP #14 ($1 (?) from PO Box 93, Bronx, NY 10461): 
Much of the material here is on the theme of PLAYTHING, a porno 
zine for horror fans with salacious prose that erupts in abominations 
and pin-ups with distorted anatomy. There’s also some poetry and 
art off the theme, but still generally pretty dark. Malefic literature. 
(S-12) 
kkkkk 
OHEATHEN ZINE #1 (75¢ & Age Statement from Ken Wagner, 
511 W. Sullivan, Olean, NY 14760): This one is self-described as 
“the zine of revelating pissiness”, with this first issue devoted to 
“Radical Faminism”. Ken basically is against it, seeing it as a vehicle 
for women to hate men, and attacks with a bunch of words and 
images that will not make him many friends. He’s also looking for 
work on the theme of “Battered women, the abuse dynamic, it takes 
two” for #2. (D-16) 


kkk kk 

HEAVEN BONE #7 ($4.50 from PO Box 486, Chester, NY 10918): 
A literary magazine that’s fairly heavy on the poetry as compared 
to prose and essays, but manages to present a good selection of 
work. There are spiritual overtones in many of the pieces here—not 
morals, for the most part, but open-ended questions waiting to be 
asked and answered, as in Janine Pommy-Vega’s story “The Woman 
Who Loved Mountains”. Too many fine poets to list, but try 
Arguelles, Vassilakis, and Richey on for size. (S-56t) 


Kk kkk 
OTHE HERICANE Vol. 1 #3 ($12/12 issues from 250 Cowan Rd., 
Gulfport, MS 39507): A feminist newsletter trying to build a network 
between lesbians and other women in the south for the “educational 
empowerment of women”. They’re just getting started,but they’re 
hard at work collecting addresses, information and stories from the 
Gulf Coast states. (S-16) 


kk kkk 
HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE QUARTERLY Winter 1990 (On Re- 
quest from RR1, Box 400, Honesdale, PA 18431): This is mainly a 
course catalog and book catalog for the Himalayan Institute, a group 
which has taken Yoga teachings and brought them west to a 
resort/retreat setting. Founder Swami Rama gets a few pages of 
philosophy into each issue as well. (S-48t) 


. kkk 
THE HIPOCRITE #3 ($1 from Clay, 2331 Poincianna, Huntsville, 
AL 35801): A collection of stories, poems, art and ravings from 
self-confessed confused adolescents. They seem to revel in gory art, 
silly jokes about people’s English classes and fantasies of blood and 
revenge. Despite some censorship, they manage to print things to 
upset most any rational adult. (D-40) 


Kkkkk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


HOLIDAY VIRBGIN Dec. 1989 (60¢ from 629 SW 6th #4, 
Corvallis, OR 97333): A collage of consumerism, analogies between 
Satan and Santa, medical cut-ups, religious tracts on sin, and other 
unlikely things—such as a page of very nasty music reviews. Both 
mass and underground culture seem to be under attack here, 
although the complaints are not perfectly clear. (M-12) 


Kkkkk 
OTHE HOLOGRAPHIC HOOLIGAN Vol. 0 #-1 (SASE from 1117 
Ferris Dr., Novato, CA 94945-1721): This is more of a trial balloon 
for a zine than a zine itself, with notes on what's promised in future 
issues. Apparently they hope to be in the main a literary review 
sheet—or at least most of what they’re talking about here is new 
books and poetry, though other writing is planned as well. (S-2t) 


kKkkkK 

HOLY TITCLAMPS #3 ($1 from Boxholder, PO Box 3054, 
Minneapolis, MN 55403): A warning: don’t use the zine name on 
the envelope if you know what's good for your mail. This is a 
somewhat flamboyant gay zine (although the publisher, Larry-bob, 
isn’t averse to publishing stuff from other folks). #3 has a full-color 
abstract sticker, a couple of rants about the power of words, photos 
from a faerie invasion of a local department store, and other goodies 
for those who are out and proud. (D-16t) 


kkkkk 
DHOMELESS BRAGG RAG Dec. 1989 (Donation from Housing 
Now!, Santa Barbara Homeless Coalition, PO Box 41304, Santa 
Barbara, CA 93140): A journal from the streets, produced by the 
homeless both for themselves and for the public eye. There’s a 
strong activist flavor here (you have to be feisty to be homeless in 
Santa Barbara; the town heavily discourages such things). They also 
print personal stories, art, and notes about where to go for help. 
(L-12) 
Kakkk 
HOME POWER #14 ($6/yr from PO Box 130, Hornbrook, CA 
96044): This newsletter for those interested in alternative energy is 
finally charging a subscription price, but it’s still a great bargain. 
They emphasize hands-on, how-to information. This issue discusses 
computer printers and whether they will work on inverters, gives 
hints on balancing windmill rotors, and looks at phantom loads that 
can drain your PV system. There’s always product reviews, nifty 
ads, and lots of reader feedback. (S-48t) 


kkkkk 

DHOMUNCULUS #1 ($1.50 from PO Box 18685, Rochester, NY 
14618): “A Journal of the Bizarre, the Horrific, the Phantasmagoric, 
the Sublime, and the Generally Outr<130”, this one is a collection 
of short stories and essays that mostly don’t follow the rules. Some 
are cloaked as academic writings, others are flights of fancy that 
dart off almost too quickly to follow. Thom Metzger speaks darkly 
of ziggurats and society; Richard Scott makes the reader a character 
and then kills him off. (S-12t) 


kkk 

THE HUDSON VALLEY GREEN TIMES Vol. 9 #6 ($15/yr from 
Hudson Valley Green, PO Box 208, Red Hook, NY 12571): These 
folks are concerned with a variety of environmental problems up 
and down the Hudson. #6 is a special issue devoted to food and 
agriculture, with notes from local farmers about their techniques, 
community gardens, organic certification, and much more. One of 
the best attempts I’ve seen at a balanced presentation of this complex 
subject. (T-24t) 

Kkkkk 

HUMANIST NEWS Vol. 4 #2-4 
($10/yr from 4418 Josephine Ln., 
Robbinsdale, MN 55422-1328): A 
small Humanist newsletter from 
the Twin Cities local Humanist 
group. They print bloodmobile 
schedules, bits of good humanist 
and atheist writing from the past, f 
and notes on what the chapter is § 
up to. #2 also features a letter 
from the local American Atheists 
group answering some charges 
against that organization. (S-4t) 


tk kkk 


Those* ANARCHISTS— 
they organized a 4 


val ly 





JT thought the 
point of Anarchy 
was disorganization 





Zines 29 


DICA NEWS #6 ($1 & SASE from Bob McGLynn, 528 5th St., 
Brooklyn, NY 11215): The ICA is the Independent Courier Associa- 
tion, a group of bicycle messengers in New York City who've 
organized to resist restrictive licensing laws, fight for workers’ comp, 
and otherwise help out its members. In addition to putting out the 
newsletter, they’re looking for messenger contacts in other cities. 
(S-4t) 


kkkkk 
OILLINOIS ENTERTAINER Dec. 1989 ($15/yr from 2200 E. Devon 
#192, Des Plaines, IL 60018): A freebie monthly with a focus on 
music, though they do branch out into theater and other areas of 
entertainment as well. The content tends towards new bands on 
major labels: Eleventh Dream Day, Poi Dog Pondering, and so on. 
Lots of local advertising and calendar material. (T-86t) 


kakkk 

OTHE IMMORTALIST Vol. 20 #3-12 ($18/yr from Immortalist 
Society, 24443 Roanoake, Oak Park, MI 48237): The Immortalist 
Society is a group interested in cryonics, and this magazine is their 
outreach and educational publication. They print news of the field, 
excerpts from research papers, and a lot of short items about scientific 
advances. Overall, they seem very optimistic, and it’s contagious. 
Associated with IS is the Cryonics Institute, which handles actual 
suspensions. If you're interested, at least send an SASE for their 
brochure. (S-50t) 


kkkkk 

I’M NOT BORING YOU AM I? #7 ($2 or The Usual from Robert 
Runté, PO Box 4665 PSSE, Edmonton, Alberta, T6E 5G5, CANADA): 
Robert’s personalzine, a look at the SF world through his eyes. This 
issue is his CUFF (=Canadian Unity Fan Fund) trip report, and 
develops his thesis about there being a specifically Canadian science 
fiction at some length. Along the way he also looks at Canadian 
art and, of course, provides some insights into a major Canadian 
SF convention. (S-24t) 


kkkkk 

IMPULSE #5 ($1 & a stamp from Jon George, 429 Crabtree Hall, 
River Falls, WI 54022): An angry young anarchist journal. They take 
a hardcore stand against government, apparently promoting its 
destruction by any means necessary. At the same time, there’s some 
ideas on positive things than an anarchist group can do in the 
community. Current events and reprinted documents link it to the 
larger world. (S-20) 


kkkkk 
DINDIAN TREATY RIGHTS NEWSLETTER Vol. 1 #2 (Donation 
from Indian Treaty Rights Committee, 59 E. Van Buren St. #2418, 
Chicago, IL 60605): The masthead reads “A voice and perspective 
of indigenous peoples in the Americas”. Most of this issue is taken 
up with articles on the potentially explosive situation in Wisconsin, 
where various groups are trying to put a stop to Chippewa treaty 
rights to their traditional fishing techniques. (S-6t) 
kkkkk 
INSIDE #13 (£12/yr from The Outsiders Club, PO Box 4ZB, 
London W1A 4ZB, UK): The Outsiders Club is a group for people 
with physical or emotional disabilities, designed to help them find 
and form relationships, from friendship on through sex. The 
magazine has words from members who've been helped, plenty of 
resource notes, chatty news, and an advice column. They also 
sponsor quite a number of functions in England, and have done 
some work on setting up similar clubs in other countries. (A5-88t) 











I tchooght that che 
health code doesn't 
b allow dogs in cafés 


Actvally @uys, Anarchism is § 
the theory that all forms 
of government imberPere 
unjustly with individval 

liberty and should be 
replaced by the volunt— 
ary association of 
cooperative Sroups 
















30 E Zines 


kkkkk 

INSIDE ENVIRONMENT Vol. 1 #5-6 ($2.50 from PO Box 13061, 
Lexington, KY 40583): An environmental publication, focused on 
Kentucky, which takes what I would consider a pragmatist position: 
they’re into discussing what industry can do now to help out, not 
what might be possible in the future. It’s a good source of news 
on new regulations, both state and national, and new technologies. 
No revolutions lurk here, but there might be some useful reforms. 
#6 discusses liming to reclaim acidified lakes and some high-tech 
ways to protect wetlands. (T-16t) 


kkk 

INSIDE JOKE #72 ($1.50 from Elayne Wechsler, PO Box 1609, 
Madison Sq. Stn., New York, NY 10159): Popular culture and humor 
meet in this long-running newsletter; in fact, it’s one of the few 
that’s been on the FF mailing list continually since I started. To give 
you some hint of the contents, this issue has Anni Ackner on reasons 
to survive the 1990’s, Dorian Tenore-Bartilucci on the films of Jeff 
Goldblum, and Ho Chi Zen on the mining of dragon bones. Popular 
music, comics, and TV commercials are among the other regular 
subjects. (S-30t) 


kk kkk 

THE INSIDER GUN NEWS Vol. 3 #12 ($50/12 issues from The 
Gunpress Publishing Co., PO Box 3257, Alexandria, VA 22302-3257): 
#12 is the year-end roundup issue of this newsletter that tracks all 
sorts of developments surrounding the firearms industry. It’s mainly 
devoted to looking at what the NRA has been up to—editor John 
Aquilino is a very harsh critic of the current NRA administration. 
(S-4) 


kkk kk ; 

INSTAURATION Vol. 15 #1 ($5 from Howard Allen, PO Box 
76, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920): This is a journal of the white 
“majority” culture which the writers see this country as being 
founded on. I would say they dislike other people, rather than hate 
them—though some of their subscribers are clearly in more rabid 
camps. Still, I think it’s good to see the views which are currently 
unfashionable get aired, though their black and white view of the 
world often seems too smug. (S-44t) 


Ook 

INSTEAD OF A MAGAZINE #47 ($6.50/4 issues from PO Box 
433, Willimantic, CT 06226): Still plugging along after more than a 
decade, this is a relaxed forum for anarchist discussion. Among the 
bits in this issue are a letter from Laure A. on privilege and what 
it is, pieces on depression from Michael Ziesing and myself, and a 
semi-defense of non-state capitalism from Terry Epton. There's always 
something in these pages that bears thinking about. (D-36) 


nahh 

OINTERCESSORS FOR AMERICA NEWSLETTER Vol. 16 #11- 
Vol. 17 #1 (Donation from PO Box 2639, Reston, VA 22090): The 
main project of this conservative religious group is something called 
“USA Pray!”. Every month they all get together on the first Friday 
and pray for neater things, as dictated in the newsletter—new jobs 
for those put out of work by automation, strength for pro-life forces, 
wisdom for new members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The newsletter 
tells of these and suggests other ways of appeasing God so that he 
doesn’t pull the curtain down on us all. (S-4t) 


kkk kk 
INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISER #27 ($3 from J. Poms, PO Box 
182, A-1011 Vienna, AUSTRIA): Ads from people all over the world 
who want to buy, trade, wheel and deal and otherwise get rich 
quickly. The opportunities range from importing clocks to more 
unbelievable deals, like the guy who promises to turn your $1000 
into $10,000 in 12 months or less. (A4-14r) 


kkkkk 

INTERNATIONAL PRIMATE PROTECTION LEAGUE 
NEWSLETTER Vol. 16 #3 ($20/yr from PO Box 766, Summerville, 
SC29484): Despite a hurricane, these folks are still going strong, 
taking care of some primates and trying to keep others from being 
removed from their environment in the first place. There’s plenty 
of news here on the international animal-smuggling industry and 
steps being taken to stop it. This issue also has excerpts from the 
ae plan to discredit and outlaw the animal rights movement. 
(S-24t) 


tok ktok 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


DINTERRACE #2 ($3.95 from PO Box 1001, Schenectady, NY 
12301-1001): A new bimonthly dealing with interracial relationships 
of all types. This issue has an article on a Japanese boy fighting 
racist portrayals of blacks in his country, advice on raising bicultural 
children, and a talk with Sally Sussman, head writer for Generations. 
They feature several advice columns and looks at how the media 
is treating interracial relationships. A solid job. (D-56t) 


took kk 

INTERRACIAL CLUB OF BUFFALO NEWSLETTER Dec. 1989 
($6.25/6 months from PO Box 400, Amherst Branch, Buffalo, NY 
14226): A support newsletter for those involved in interracial 
relationships, whether by marriage, adoption, or elsewise. They track 
media mentions and movies which portray such relationships in a 
positive light, as well as scare stories of ones that don’t. They also 
host a number of functions in the Buffalo area. (S-7) 


tok tek 
IN THE PINK Vol. 4 #1 (£3/12 issues from 37 Thorp St., 
Birmingham B5 4AU, UK): No doubt this “Newspaper for Lesbians 
& Gay Men in the West Midlands” will cost a bit more on our side 
of the Atlantic. In addition to local events and a good resource 
listing they print a bit of news from around the world. (A4-8r) 


to 
INTIMATE PUBLICATIONS 


That's the name of the publishing company that puts this stuff 
out, not a description. They’re all available from Joel Barrows 
Cooper (who says he’s Clyde Barrows’s cousin, by the way), 5913 
3/4 Willoughby #2, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Checks to Scottie B. 
Cooper, and send an SASE with every order. 

ABORTION: THE 24 MILLION URBAN HOLOCAUST (75¢): 
An essay by Patrick Hynes, decrying the current legal state of 
abortion. There does not appear to be a shred of compassion in 
this statement; it outright tags whole groups of people, including 
humanists, feminists, atheists and homosexuals, as being “demon 
locusts who are Satan’s”. Certainly there’s no contribution to 
rational debate here. (S-4) 

THE BLOOD Dec. 1989-Feb. 1990 (75¢): Each issue starts with 
“May The Lamb That Was Slain Receive The Reward Of His 
Suffering”; this is a somewhat ecstatic journal of fervent 
Christianity. Cooper warns against various . sins includin 
homosexuality and masturbation, and tries to explain that following 
Jesus is the only way to salvation. (L-2) 

CAT PSYCHOSIS Jan. 1990 (75¢): “Christian psychosis” is what 
the Intimate catalog calls this one. It’s a couple of pages covered 
with graffiti, some begging mercy, some casting aspersions on 
other routes to enlightenment, some occult-sounding poetry, and 
little bits of randomness. (L-2) 

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY REVIEW Feb. 1990 (75¢): A 
selection of quotes with minor annotations, drawn from respected 
theologians and philosophers of the past. Authorities cited include 
St. Paul, St. Symeon, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. (L-2) 

WARRIORS’ BRIEFING Feb. 1990 (75¢): “If You Wish Peace, 
Prepare For War”. However, the war Cooper talks about here is 
a spiritual one, of the Christian against the powers of darkness, 
and the bulk of his advice is devoted to ways to live a more 
fervent life. A bit scary. (L-2) 

WAR UPON LOS ANGELES ($5): Barrow calls this a “war 
manual”, but most will see it as a collection of Christian ecstatic 
poetry, working the reader up into a state of fury over the state 
of L.A. and exhorting them to join the holy war against it. (S-14) 







































Kk kkk 

INTUITIVE EXPLORATIONS Vol. 3 #5-6 ($15/yr from PO Box 
561, Quincy, IL 62306-0561): A New Age zine which features lots 
of advice and teaching. The various writers here are into channeling, 
crystals, Tarot, astrology, and most any other system you can name. 
Editor Gloria Reiser is very concerned with attacks on the New Age, 
and vocal in urging people to fight back when they’re being picked 
on. (S-24) 


KkkKK 
OINVENTING EARTH Inaugural Edition ($10/4 issues from 11 
Inverness Rd., Arlington, MA 02174): This is aimed at folks who 
are interested in saving the world and the environment, but from 
a different than usual point of view. Rather than focus on the 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


problems, they’re focusing on positive steps. This prospectus has 
pieces on voluntary rainforest conservation, successful recycling 
programs, and more. (S-4t) 


kakkn 

INVERTED-A HORN #5 ($1 (?) from 401 Forrest Hill, Grand 
Prairie, TX 75051): A collection of essays and poetry from Amnon 
and Aya Katz and friends. In this issue, Amnon defends the Supreme 
Court decision on flagburning as a step for liberty, while Aya 
discusses the attractive qualities of Blake's 7 for freedom-lovers. They 
also print some poetry that is traditional in form, though not 
necessarily in content. (S-6t) 


kk kkk 
THE IOWA IDEA Vol. XI #IV (Donation from Iowa Socialist 
Party, PO Box 924, Iowa City, IA 52244): A socialist newsletter which 
concentrates on current problems rather than political theory, though 
of course the theory informs their stance on the problems. This 
issue concentrates on peace (with reports on a nearby Plowshares 
action) and housing (with one of the better articles on squatting I’ve 
read). (S-12t) 
Kk kkk 
OTHE IRRIGATION DITCH TIMES #4 (SASE from 810 Pine 
Cone La., Colonial Heights, VA 22834): A short zine of humor, 
reviews, and flotsam. They laud cartoon violence, print a nasty 
Helen Keller cartoon, and seem to be fascinated with shower curtains. 
(S-1) 
Kakkk 
DISRAELI FOREIGN AFFAIRS Vol. V #12 ($20/yr from PO Box 
19580, Sacramento, CA 95819): This is far from being an official 
Israeli publication. Rather, it pulls together news of “Israel's 
diplomatic and military activities world wide” from a number of 
mainstream source. The result is anything but complimentary, 
focusing on connections with South Africa, Mossad activities in 
Europe, and similar antics. (S-8t) 


Kkkkk 


JAUNDICED EYE 


The Journal of the underside of American culture 


Looking for submissions covering the entire 
spectrum of the underground experience: 


Comix Film Journalism 
Science Politics Poetry 
Fiction Rantings Art 

Music Ravings Occult 
Fact Events Etc. 


Articles, Artwork, Music for review. Ad 
Space prices and further information 
address all inquires to: 
JANA LGB. Bey, 
c/o Dave Crowley 
307 Broadwood drive 
Rockville, MD 20851 
U.S.A 









Zines 31 


ISSUES & VIEWS Vol. 5 #4 ($8/yr from PO Box 467, Cathedral 
Station, New York, NY 10025): A newsletter for the black community, 
trying to open up ways to grow and develop without being wards 
of the state. Editor Elizabeth Wright has a long piece in this issue 
about the idiocy of studying poverty instead of doing something 
about it—and the need to do things from within, not from without. 
A thoughtful expression of a point of view that doesn’t hit the 
mainstream much. (S-12t) 


tok 

Di: THE FIRST PERSON #1 ($3 from Zeugma Press, PO Box 
663, Graton, CA 95444): A new litmag that has found a way to 
stand out from the pack: they only accept work written in the first 
person. At first, given the rarity of such work in other litmags, this 
is jarring, but it’s easy to get used to it. Somehow these stories 
and poems seem to draw me in more, perhaps by promising a 
strong link between author and narrator. Stories from Linda Hutton 
and Eugene Flinn stand out in the premiere issue. (D-36t) 


kkk 

IT’S ($1 & 25¢ postage from Sheila Gibson, 20 Shady Ln., Nashua, 
NH 03062): This issue of the Monty Python fanzine is a special one, 
devoted to the memory of Graham Chapman, who recently died. 
Gibson, better known in print as The Easel (but make checks to 
her real name!) tells a bit about Chapman’s life and career, and 
reminisces about some of his funnier bits. There’s also a couple of 
pages of commentary from Kim Howard Johnson, who has a new 
Python book coming out soon. (S-10) 


kk kkk 

oIr’s A MAD MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD #1 (2 stamps 
from Tobias Allen, Flybreeder Studios, 7708 1/2 Greenwood Ave., 
Seattle, WA 98103): This one leads off with a selection of newspaper 
clippings about mass murderers and drive-by shooters, a reminder 
of the tone of the eighties. Later on there’s: some stuff about 
independent low-budget video, a scrred against Christmas, and a 
few odd stories. Pretty downbeat for most of the pages here. (S-20) 


kkk 


instant . 
gratification. 
alternative rock new art popular culture 


First issue features articles, interviews 
and reviews of the following artists.... 
Timbuk 3, Eric Bogosian, The Residents, 
Bianca ‘Flystrip' Miller, Lucinda Williams, 
Glass Eye, Killdozer and many other features 
including selected obituaries from the N.Y. 
Daily News, television snapshots and popular 
culture highlites..$3 plus $1 (postage & 
handling) to:Larry Walczak 803 Park Ave. 
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030... 











32 Zines 


JAG Vol. 28 #1 (On Request from R.S. Jaggard, 10 E. Charles, 
Oelwein, IA 50662): A free-market broadside which for quite some 
time now has been trying to spread some basic Libertarian/conser- 
vative ideas. The issue at hand is headed simply “possible”, arguing 
that a sane limited government is indeed within our reach. (L-1) 


kkkke 

THE JAMES WHITE REVIEW Vol. 7 #2 ($3 from PO Box 3356, 
Traffic Stn., Minneapolis, MN 55403): A literary magazine by and 
for gay men. This issue opens with a couple of poems from James 
White and a brief biographical note, for those of you wondering 
who the tabloid’s namesake was, Inside there are more book reviews 
than usual, poetry and prose—including the stark, harsh “Rights of 
Passage” by Rico Burrell. (T-16t) 


kkkkk 

OTHE JOKESMITH Vol. V #4 ($40/4 issues from 44 Queen’s Vie 
Road, Marlborough, MA 01752): “The ONLY comedy newsletter for 
Business Professionals edited and written by Business Professionals”. 
Basically, this is a collection of jokes and stories suitable for the 
corporate banquet, sales seminar or perhaps board room. They can 
also put you in touch with writers who specialize in this sort of 
material or provide scripts and slides for complete skits. (S-12) 


kk kkk 

JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF SCIENTIFIC SANTA 
CLAUSISM Vol. MCXQII #7 ($1 (?) from Dan Meyer, PO Box 70829, 
New Orleans, LA 70172-0829): Back after a long absence, this 
newsletter exists to coordinate and confirm reports of Santa Claus 
sightings, and so to silence anti-Clausists who deny the existence 
of the big fellow. There’s a medley of wire service reports, notes 
from independent researchers, and photos inside, as well as ads 
and movie reviews. (S-8) 


kkkkk 

JOURNAL OF THE MEGAHEALTH SOCIETY #24-25 ($3 from 
PO Box 60637, Palo Alto, CA 94306): A newsletter for folks who 
are interested in life extension and related subjects. A big chunk of 
#24 is devoted to the start of a history of medicine in this country, 
titled “The State versus Your Health”. There’s also some stuff on 
the psychological component of life extension and a longish Q&A 
column. #25 continues the exposes of American medical practice, 
with examples of promising therapies suppressed by the Estab- 
lishment. (S-8t) 


LRatatates 

EI OURNAL WIRED #1 ($7.95 from PO Box 76, Shingletown, CA 

88): A new quarterly co-edited by Mark Ziesing and Andy Watson, 
devoted to trying to say some important things about the world, 
to offering literate essays, and to not being more of the same old 
pap. This premiere issue is pretty hot, starting with John Shirley 
critiquing Hollywood and ending with Lucius Shepard critiquing the 
-cyberpunks. In between there’s one of the last of the Abbie Hoffman 
interviews, Andy Watson considering the economic madness of 
today, and fiction by Rudy Rucker and A.A. Attanasio. I think this 
is pretty hot stuff, and hope there’s enough reading public left to 
make it work. (D-118t) 


kkkkk 
: OTHE JUBILEE Vol. 2 #3 (Donation from PO Box 310, Midpines, 
CA 95345): An overtly religious, conservative Constitutionalist 
publication. They’re heavy supporters of home schooling and prison 
reform as well. Stories in this issue include Bo Gritz’s scheme to 
end heroin smuggling into this country and the growing reliance on 
credit and debit cards in our society. Some of the jokes are in 
questionable taste, but there isn’t any overt racism. (T-20t) 


akkkk 

THE KANSAS INTELLIGENCER Vol. 3 #12-Vol. 4 #1 ($12/yr 
from R.W. Clack, 5524 Anderson Ave., Manhattan, KS 66502): A 
monthly conservative polemic that’s worthwhile reading for any 
liberal who wants to be challenged. The major piece in #1 looks at 
the FMLN and Gorbachev's new public image, arguing for caution 
and pointing out that the El Salvador government enjoys almost the 
level of support that Reagan did in this country. (L-2t) 


kkkkk 
OKARMA THEGSUM CHOLING May/Aug. 1989 ($1 (?) from 
637 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12206): This is the newsletter of 
our local Tibetan Buddhist meditation study center. It's more of an 
inreach than an outreach publication, with notes on what various 






FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


teachers are up to and some notes on various paths of study, There’s 
also a calendar of happenings, both here and at the parent center 
in Woodstock. (S-6t) 


kk kkk 

KATUAH JOURNAL #24-25 ($2.50 from PO Box 638, Leicester, 
NC 28748): A bioregional tabloid from the Southern Appalachians. 
While every issue is concerned with preserving the earth and 
lessening man’s impact, each also has a theme. #24 is devoted to 
peace, and includes a list of organizations in the area who are 
“peacemakers”. #25 delved into habitat and “biodiversity”. Well-writ- 
ten articles with a wide perspective. The theme of #26 is children, 
with inspiring tales of school kids recycling projects, ideas on birth 
and bonding, and hope for the future. (T-36t) 


tok kok 

KEYCHIE KISHLINE #2 (Free, “But a letter or something would 
be nice”, from Nicole, 2334 S. 8th St., Philadelphia, PA 19148): A 
bouncing bubbling collection of art, collage, poetry and stories, 
reviews and what-not. It’s one of the most eager-seeming zines I’ve 
read lately, full of people who want to share bits of their lives and 
thoughts without worrying too much about being polished or slick. 
(S-22) 


tk kkk 
KIDSCIENCE Vol. 3 #3 ($10/yr from 2115 Doswell Ave., St. Paul, 
MN 55108): A resource guide for elementary-level science teachers. 
This issue has a medley of activities, many devoted to estimating, 
guesstimating, or measuring things. With winter here, most of these 
are classroom or cold-weather activities. Home schoolers should take 
a look at this one. (S-22) 


tok kkk 

KIDS LIB NEWS ($2 from Oness Press, PO Box 1064, Kurtistown, 
HI 96760): Another collection of ideas for holistic and freedom- 
oriented parenting from Mycall Sunanda, who’s been exploring this 
field for years. He gets into the benefits of listening to kids, childhood 
massage, families sleeping together, and other ideas which still have 
a crackpot reputation today. Lots of offhand references to other 
works in the field indicate that he’s far from being a lone nut, 
though. (S-32) 


kkk kk 
OKONTAKT #1 (Trade from Alexander Rostocki, ul. Tylzycka 
11m115, 01-656 Warszawa, POLAND): This issue is all in Polish but 
Alexander promises a 50% mix of English in the next issue. It’s 
basically the closest Polish equivalent I know of to FF, featuring a 
whole bunch of contact addresses with some short notes. Looks 
strongest in mail art and related areas. (D-12r) 


kkk kk 

KREATURE COMFORTS Vol. II #5 ($12/yr from 1916 Madison, 
Memphis, TN 38104): A melange of popular culture from 8 tracks 
to the punk clubs. This issue includes lots of live show reviews, an 
appreciation of the Partridge Family, and best and worst lists for 
the 80s. There’s also a chat with New Rose Records, a French 
company that puts out lots of Memphis music. Weird sense of 
humor. (S-12t) 


tok kkk 

KULTCHA #127-131 ($1/4 issues from Packrat Press, PO Box 
5498, Atlanta, GA 30307): A wide-ranging wall newspaper put out 
by Kerry Thornley, and discussing whatever's on his mind. In #127, 
it’s flag-burning (he wants the Constitution amended to protect flag 
burners). In #131 he looks at Hell banknotes, speculating that there 
may just be something in the theory of burning money to achieve 
happiness. (S-1) 


tok kk 

L’AMANITE SCHIZOID #2 (15f & postage from Woody C.C., 
44 rue de Lourmel, 75015 Paris, FRANCE): Yes, the “Schizoid 
Amanita” (which is a famous genus of mostly poisonous fungi) is 
the name of this magazine. Some great visuals in this magazine, 
including the six-page wordless comic ”...in the Museum of Man”. 
Includes poetry (weirdly speculative), an interview with the group 
Dan and the Destroys. and a review section that aight: be a good 
introduction to the French underground. (A4-32t)(Guest review by 
Geof Huth) 


kk kkk 
THE LAME MONKEY MANIFESTO Vol. 4 #20 ($1 from PO Box 
8763, Knoxville, TN 37996-4800): The alternative tabloid of the 


we 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Zines 33 


University of Tennessee is still going strong. This issue is mainly 
filled with their own unauthorized course evaluations for the fall 
semester, full of cutting comments and occasional bits of praise. 
There’s also short poetry and curious graphics. (T-12t) 


tok tok 

LAUGHING WHALE #4 ($7 from Luke McGuff, PO Box 3987, 
Minneapolis, MN 55403): The final issue of LW, this one is a 
Bagazine—that is, a plastic bag stuffed with items from individual 
contributors. These include a nut with a poem on it from Geof 
Huth, a pamphlet of dead Smurfs from Garth Danielson, a tape 
from Backyard Mechanics For Language, and any number of original 
art pieces. Only a few sets are left, and they may be incomplete, 
but this is your last chance to get one of these unique cultural 
collections. (5“x8“x1”) 


tok kkk 

OLAUGHTER WORKS Vol. 1 #4 ($15/4 issues from 222 Selby 
Ranch Rd. #4, Sacramento, CA 95864): A sort of serious newsletter 
about humor. They feature cartoons, quips and quotes and silliness, 
but there’s also a less immediately funny side here. That's the feature 
articles which delve into the history or uses of comedy, humor, and 
laughter. They also sell humor-related items and give a calendar of 
fun events. (S-8t) 


Lhtahatetel 
LEFT BUSINESS OBSERVER #34 ($2 from 250 W. 85 St., New 
York, NY 10024-3217): An alternative view of the business and 
economic news—especially alternative if, as I do, you live in a town 
with a Hearst newspaper. #34 continues their series on the major 
media with an examination of the Washington POST empire, and 
reports on the situation in Mexico. (S-8t) 


kk kkk 
OLEFT OUT Vol. 3 #6 ($10/yr from PO Box 41510, Santa Barbara, 
CA 93140-1510): Newsletter of a group which refers to itself as part 
of the Socialist Party/Solidarity. They lead off with a few jabs at the 
drug war, follow up with a look at Nicaraguan health care, and 
wind up with bite-sized news from ZETA magazine. Seems to be 
more broadly progressive than some socialist journals. (S-6t) 


tk kkk 

THE LEIGHTON LOOK Oct.-Dec. 1989 (Sample on request from 
Rodney Leighton, RR #3, Pugwash, NS BOK 1L0, CANADA): Rodney 
is trying to make this into a sort of Canadian analog of FF, and 
he’s off to a decent start. The jumble of zines and catalogs and 
music and commentary here reminds me of things I put out a few 
years back. He’s especially strong on wrestling zines and Canadiana, 
so if either of those interest you, drop him a line for sure. (S-8) 


Kk kkk 

OTHE LENNOX REPORT Vol. 1 #1-3 ($2 from Radius Press, 217 
E. 85th St. New York, NY 10028): LENNOX is an acronym for 
Leading Empirical Non-Null Operating function X, a new system for 
deciding when to buy and when to sell in the options markets. For 
your two bucks they'll send a sample of their weekly report and 
more information on the system. I can’t presume to rate it for 
technical competence. (D-4r) 


tk kkk 
THE LETTER PARADE Nov.-Dec. 1989 ($10/yr from Bonnie Jo 
Enterprises, PO Box 52, Comstock, MI 49041): A mix of very “normal” 
writing—reminiscences of the 1965 world’s fair, reprinted news 
clippings on various scams, first-person stories of small town life. 
It has a certain undeniable charm, but is rather far from the universe 
of zines I normally review. (S-4) 


kkk kk 

LIBERTARIAN LABOR REVIEW #8 ($2.50 from PO Box 2824, 
Champaign, IL 61825): A journal of anarcho-syndicalist news and 
ideas which has undergone a bit of a facelift and now looks pretty 
good. On the positive side, they’re a link to much anarchist theory 
which is mostly lost these days, and do a better job of reporting 
on workplace organizing and foreign anarchists than other journals 
I read. On the negative, I find their narrow vision of true 
anarchism—exemplified by calls for purging Marxists and their refusal 
to seriously consider anti-work positions—a bit aggravating at times. 
(S-40t) 


kkk kk 
LIFE ON PLANET EARTH Vol. Il #9 (SASE or trade from J.C. 
Coleman, Embassy of Planet Claire, PO Box 3194, Bellingham, WA 


98227): A collection of essays both serious and humorous, plus the 
computer-generated “Fat Mike” cartoon strip. Coleman leads off this 
issue by considering the Gaia hypothesis, talks about a bitchin’ car 
he used to own, and suggests appropriate ways to deal with junk 
mail. There’s also a column of zine reviews on the back. (S-4t) 


kk kkk 
LIFEPACT NEWS #7 ($3 from PO Box 18698, South Lake Tahoe, 
CA 95706): Lifepact is an organization being set up to provide 
services to cryonic suspension patients at such future time as they 
are reanimated. In addition to being helpful to those who already 


“have suspension arrangements, it provides leads on getting such 


arrangements to others. This issue also contains the second 
organizational report of the proposed Federation of Cryonics 
Societies. (HL-24) 
kak kk 

LIFEQUEST #6 ($3 from PO Box 18690, South Lake Tahoe, CA 
95706): A fiction magazine for immortalists—primarily those inter- 
ested in cryonics and nanotechnology—trying to imagine what sort 
of future they might someday end up in. In this issue I enjoyed 
Lee Corbin’s “Occupation: Immortal”, a scary yet exhilarating look 
at one way some clump of memories might end up. (HL-40) 


kk kkk 
LIGHT AND LIBERTY #5 ($10/4 issues from Lawrence E. 
Christopher, PO Box 33, Woodstock, NY 12498): A sort of New Age 
libertarian essay journal, entirely written by Lawrence. In this issue 
he discusses the internal conflicts of being both a bohemian and a 
classicist (but also neither), and critiques the negative affirmations 
he sees in A COURSE IN MIRACLES. (S-14) 


kk kkk 

LIGHT WORKER BULLETIN #2-4 (Donation from Nova 8, PO 
Box 11919, Pueblo, CA 81001-1919): This is the sort of thing which 
gives the New Age bad name with folks who’ve had some scientific 
training. Sentences like ”...all of known creation is bound by magnetic 
properties” are at best confused. For a programme, they offer much 
power of positive thinking and love. No doubt writing a nasty 
review puts me on their list to be projected positive energy. Oh 
well. (S-3t) 


kakkk 
DLIMERICOCHET v1.0 (50¢ in stamps from Tom Sinclair, 3855 
W. 38 St., Cleveland, OH 44109): There are 18 limericks in the 
“Rorshach Test” zine. The trick is that there are no ending lines to 
any of them. Tom intends to print the best conclusions in a future 
issue, as well as other submissions which strike his fancy. (L-2) 


kKkkkk 
LITERARY MARKETS. #49 ($12/yr from PO Drawer 1310, Point 
Roberts, WA 98281-1310): A marketing journal for small press writers 
and poets. Editor Bill Marles lists a dozen or two markets every 
issue, and tracks anthologies and prizes as well. (S-6t) 


kkk 

LITTLE FREE PRESS #71-73 (SASE from 2714 ist Ave. S, 
Minneapolis, MN 55408): More from Ernest Mann, the inventor of 
the Priceless Economics System—the idea that we could create Utopia 
here and now if we would all refuse to take pay for our work. #72 
has more ideas on how to spread this idea more widely. #73 explains 
how the PES will solve major world problems from Nuclear War to 
Malnutrition. (S-2t) 


kk kkk 
LIVE WILD OR DIE #2 (Donation from PO Box 13765, Portland, 
OR 97213): A tabloid which takes the radical environmental 
perspective of Earth First! and expands it with anarchist, feminist 
and other liberatory perspectives. There’s lots of stuff here on 
monkeywrenching, both from the how-to perspective and reports of 
successful actions. They also give pointers on dumpster diving and 
natural abortifacients and generally have a good old time opposing 
industrial civilization. (T-28r) 
kkk 
LIVING FREE #54 ($1.50 [Cash preferred] from Jim Stumm, PO 
Box 29, Hiler Branch, Bufffalo, NY 14223): A journal of living in the 
cracks with large chunks written by enterprising readers who are 
doing just that. Topics in #54 include uninhabited islands (im is 
something of an expert on this, though he’s also a realist who points 
out the obstacle to new country schemes) and making concrete 
blocks at home. (S-8t) 





34 Zines 


kk kkk 

OLIZZENGREASY #1 ($1 CASH from G. Fletcher, Umegaoka 
1-56-4-8B, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo 154, JAPAN): A magazine of essays 
and reviews, produced by foreigners in Japan. They start this issue 
with a recent John O’Hara book, and then slide into a Japanese 
Manga comic. Later on there’s a few pages of music reviews, and 
the whole concludes with an essay on ell fishing. Eclectic and 
cross-cultural. (S-10r) 


tok kkk 

LOAFING THE DONKEY #29 ($1 from Peter Mantis, 123 
Stonewall #4, Memphis, TN 38104): A small zine of film reviews as 
well as the odd bit of music and the like. Peter ranges from the 
Monkee’s Head to Norm Orschnorschki’s Forced Entry to classics like 
The Cape Canaveral Monsters. He seems to truly appreciate a wide 
variety of things, and writes at enough length to give readers an 
idea of why. It’s all intercut with little bits of collage art and ads 
for his other zines. (D-32r) 


kkk kk 
LOCAL ZINE #6 (50¢ from 3579 Via La Primavera, Thousand 
Oaks, CA 91360): Photos of flying skateboarders provide the 
backdrop for a short essay here about the necessity to follow your 
own path in life. Greg Gilday, the editor, is sort of softspoken, but 
you can tell he’s really enjoying being a part of the skate world. 
Includes a few zine reviews at the end. (D-20) 


kk kkk 
THE LOG CABIN #103 ($1 from Jerry Edwards, PO Box 881, 
Medical Lake, WA 99022-0881): A MENSA-based zine for those who 
are either living rurally already or thinking seriously about it. Written 
by members in a chatty, back-fence manner, it covers everything 
from proper treatment of seeds to make them sprout to proper 
treatment of computers in cold cabins. Fun and even educational. 
(D-20t) 
kkkkk 
LOLA-FISH #2 (3 IRCs from B. Pommey, 36 res. Jean Macé, 
28300 Mainvilliers, FRANCE): An international mail art networking 
bulletin. It lists forthcoming shows and reviews other mail art zines, 
as well as the odd tape or fanzine. In French, but most of the 
contents are obvious enough to be understandable. (M-16) 


kkk 

LONGEVITY REPORT #18 ($14.67/6 issues from J. de Rivaz c/o 
Longevity Books, West Towan House, Porthtowan, Truro, Cornwall, 
TR4 8AX, UK): A journal of news and debate among people interested 
in cryonics or life extension (or both). There’s much in this issue 
on Hydergine including a comparison of its effects with those of 
Ginko Biiloba extract. The social aspects of cryonics as well as 
practical matters such as properly locating centers come in for 
discussion as well. (A4-22t) : 


kkk 

LOOKOUT! #34 ($1 from PO Box 1000, Laytonville, CA 95454): 

A zine with a split personality (literally—there are two covers, Ace 

Double style, and split contents) with more politics than music but 

just barely so. On the one side Lawrence Livermore discusses 

_ economics and war and recycling and lumbering and burning issues 
like that. On the other he ventures into the SF Bay area music 

scene with a pile of reviews and a scene report from Aaron 








FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Cometbus. Always good reading whichever side of the zine you 
Start on. (S-32t) 


tk kkk 

LOSING FAITH #11 ($2 & Age Statement from PO Box 10533, 
Minneapolis, MN 55458): An artistic magazine of sex, death and 
porkchops. The artists here seem intent on investigating the 
boundaries of the shocking, and they do seem to be discovering 
new territory. At least once per issue I find myself presented with 
something both disgusting and new, if only in its juxtaposition of 
elements. Xerographic experimentation and more traditional art both 
play a part here. (HL-20) 


kk kkk 

LOST & FOUND TIMES #25 ($3 from Luna Bisonte Productions, 
137 leland Ave., Columbus, OH 43214): One of the prime foci of 
experimental literature, works in which meter and even the shape 
of the words is as important as grammar or plot. Editor John 
Bennett's eerie poems set the tone (indeed, Al Ackerman, Stacey 
Sollfrey and others provide reworkings of Bennett poems in this 
issue), which is carried on by such marginal voices as Jake Berry, 
Mike Miskowski, Willy Smith and Bob Grumman. Essential to anyone 
who dares balance on the cutting edge. (D-52r) 


tok kkk 

THE LOST PERUKE #14/15 ($6.50/6 months from PM Kellermann, 
PO Box 1525, Highland Park, NJ 08904): A humor journal with 
something of the intellectual appeal of NATIONAL LAMPOON but 
fewer photos of naked women. Kellermann hits the mark sometimes, 
as with the Shar-Pei Image Christmas Catalog insert in this issue. 
Others, such as the Christmas gift wishes from some celebrities, are 
liable to offend. If you're willing to take your chances there are 
some laughs here. (D-30) 





toto tok 

LUCID #49 ($1 from Dale Adams, 3041 Stanton Cir., Carmichael, 
CA 95608): “A forum for active discussion and debate on topics of 
philosophical and contemporary interest”, run as a MENSA SIG. 
There’s always interesting stuff here, although I often find it very 
wrong, as with Dale’s blanket condemnation of college professors 
in this issue. Grady Towers’ works on genius are always interesting, 
and Alan Hecht is developing an interesting philosophical style as 
well. (D-20r) 


kk kkk 
MADAM X’S GAZET #29 (50¢ (?) from 3747 Roberta St., Los 
Angeles, CA 90031): A colorful little pamphlet which apes a 
newspaper in appearance, though a rather New Agey paper. It’s 
colorful and all you can read is the headlines, asserting on the front 
page “Human Being Society Unites Mankind”. No explanations given, 
but this seems to be an attempt to visualize a more positive future. 
(M-4) 
kkkkk 
THE MADISON INSURGENT Vol. 3 #10-14 ($15/yr from PO 
Box 704, Madison, WI 53701): “A collectively run journal of the left”, 
this one offers a place for voices from the alternative community in 
Madison to speak out. #10 has some interesting news on labor 
problems at the local food co-op. #11 looks at the situation in El 
Salvador, the latest news on the Pittson strike, and asks whether 
individual food choices can make any difference in a capitalist society. 
#13 has a no-holds-barred review of the local university faculty. 
(T-8t) 
kk kk 
MAIL Vol. 1 #5 ($24/7 issues from Gold Key Box 2425, Milford, 
PA 18337-9607): This one is aimed at mailrooms somewhat larger 
than mine; 5 employees to 500, say. Still, I gleaned some interesting 
things from this issue, including the first hazy details of the 1991 
rate increase. It looks like letters will go up to about 28¢-32¢, with 
other rates up 10-30%. And for the first time barcoding will be a 
way for us smaller mailers to save money as well. (S-78t) 


kkkkk 
OMANNA IN THE WILDERNESS Vol. 3 #2 (Donation from 500 
W. Van Buren, Las Vegas, NV 89106): The newsletter of the Las 
Vegas branch of Catholic Worker, who are in the process of 
rehabilitating a house to serve as a Hospitality House for the poor. 
There’s news of their progress, a schedule of events, and some 
contact info here. (L-2t) 


toto kk 


AQ 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


MANNEQUIN SOCIETY #4 (2 stamps from Nonoxynol-9, PO 
Box 7792, Rego Park, NY 11374): More collage and writings from 
the prolific John Six. He also squeezes a few interviews into this 
issue, including one with himself to plug his own musical project 
555 and one with the young band Fictional History. Lots of 
mannequins and news clippings exposing the more psychotic side 
of New York life. (D-28r) 


kk kkk 

THE MATCH! #84 ($2 from PO Box 3488, Tucson, AZ 85722): 
Another fat issue of anarchist rumination from Fred Woodworth and 
other anarchists. There’s a big spread on Fred’s run-in with Madalyn 
Murray O’Hair in this issue, as well as a few bits on the ‘89 
Anarchofest in San Francisco. I’m also happy to see some firm 
arguments against the idea of revolutionary violence and the letter 
column and book review provide plenty of short provoking reading. 
Good stuff. (HL-88t) 


tok tok 
MAX(ine)’S TWO PAGES #6 ($1 from PO Box 866, Manchester, 
GA 31816): A collection of information, often related to law 
enforcement, though there’s no telling what will turn up in the next 
package. This issue looks at a variety of mail-order schools offering 
to turn you into a private investigator, concluding that perhaps the 
buyer should be very wary in this field. (S-2) 


kkk kk 

MAYDAY! Oct. 1989 (Donation from PO Box 3395, Oakland, CA 
94609): The occasional newsletter of the continental anarchist 
movement is back again from a new production group. This issue 
is focused on a critique of the most recent gathering in San Francisco, 
with pieces on sexism, heterosexism, and the Day of Action. Lots 
of good points here, but I wonder whether they'll get through to 
the people who should read them. (S-12t) 


kk kkk 
OMEGAMIND ILLUMINATIONS #1 (Trade ONLY from Flash 
Tabloid, PO Box 645, Silver Springs, FL 32688): A “networking 
contact zine” that concentrates on the more psychedelic fringes of 
the underground. They want to hear from anyone with neat ideas 
or neat stuff to pass along. A good mix of alternative energy, drug 
paraphernalia, and strange ideas fills #1. (S-22) 


kk kkk 
OTHE MEMORY BE GREEN ($1 (?) from 944 Wesley, Evanston, 
IL 60202): A new litmag with a hand-painted cover and a small 
selection of poetry and prose inside. I enjoyed Richard Lambton’s 
wordplay-story “From Saturday Night's Poppy Seed Came Sunday 
Morning’s ‘Junk’” and the depressing poetic look at America’s youth 
by Meredith Hamilton. (S-12) 


Kk kkk 

MESECHABE #4/5 ($10/4 issues from 7725 Cohn St., New Orleans, 
LA 70118): This issue takes the Green/bioregional synthesis off in a 
new direction entirely: that of the arts. I’m afraid I was not all that 
excited by their collection of myths, poetry, “The Surre(gion)alist 
Manifesto”, short stories and black oral tradition. It makes for a 
decent litmag, but the connections to the problems facing the earth 
are a bit tenuous for me. (S-58t) 


kkk 

—S0MEZLA Vol. V #1 ($4 from N’Chi, PO Box 19566, Cincinnati, 
OH 45219); A revived journal of ceremonial magick and related 
topics. This issue has a personal report on an_ initiation rite, 
manifestoes for the Campus Crusade for Cthulhu and the Sheya 
Enochi, and a rice recipe from Aleister Crowley. There’s also some 
Crowleyan history, a review of a pile of Falcon Press books, and 
several rituals for the independent magus. By and large, this is 
fascinating stuff. (S-40t) 


kk tk k 

MIAMI METROPOLIS #7 ($1 from Dave Dunn, 1552-A Euclid 
Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139): This is sort of a litmag, but it’s got 
a little bit of everything: short stories, stereoscopic sculpture 
photography, architectural thoughts, music critiques, and more. The 
covers are decorated with holograms and if you throw in an extra 
couple of bucks they'll include afive-track mellow rock CD from Veil 
of Tears (also with holographic cover) in your order. (S-24t) 


kkkkk 


MICKEY’S PINK BUTTHOLE #5 ($1 & a stamp from Kate, 415 
N. Dunn #2, Bloomington, IN 47408): Hardcore feminism shot 








Zines 35 


through with photos and prose objectifying guys for a change, as 
well as classic ads for female remedies and reprints. This issue 
includes Gloria Steinem’s classic “If Men Could Menstruate” and 
excerpts from Valerie Solanas’s “S.C.U.M. Manifesto”. Not for the 
easily offended, but wild women should take a look. (HL-12) 


kkk 

MICROWAVE NEWS Vol. IX #6 ($130/3 issues from PO Box 
1799, Grand Central Stn., New York, NY 10163): This “Report on 
Non-Ionizing Radiation” boils down a great deal of scientific research 
and government and industrial activity in one handy location. The 
major area of concern right at the moment is the effects of low-level 
electromagnetic fields, whether from power lines or electric blankets, 
on human health. The general consensus seems to be that the jury 
is still out—but it’s sure looking like an increased cancer risk is 
there. (S-16t) 


kkk tk 

OMIDNIGHT GRAFFITI Fall 1989 ($24/4 issues from 13101 Sudan 
Rd., Poway, CA 92064): The cover of this magazine of “Dark Fantasy” 
is stunning, with a great techno-dinosaur on superslick stock. Inside 
the darkness is leavened by the special section of dino stories, with 
a great piece from Joe Lansdale and some Ray Bradbury. included. 
They also review a pile of vampire books by women and current 
comics (they also feature comic art) and generally search the whole 
realm of dark fantasy for the delicious and scary. (S-80t) 


kkk kk 
OMIKE GUNDERLOY IS A WHIMP #2 (SASE from PO Box 
60254, Oklahoma City, OK 73146): Four pages of collage which 
apparently has no purpose beyond, perhaps, using the title. If they 
were trying to get banned from review, they failed; they also failed 
to impress me with this throwaway. (M-4) 


tok kkk 

OMILLION YEAR PICNIC #1 ($1 (?) from PO Box 21311, Santa 
Barbara, CA 93121): This one has one foot in the local music scene, 
with commentary on a live show and pictures of wild jackets on 
wild punks...but I’m not sure where the other foot is. There’s some 
rude quotes, and an interview with a pizza delivery girl that takes 
a couple of pages. For next issue, they promise the start of “The 
Perfect Martini” as a continuing feature. (D-16r) 


kkkkk 

OMIM NOTES #38 ($1 from PO Box 3576, Ann Arbor, MI 
48106-3576): The “Official Newsletter of the Maoist Internationalist 
Movement”, this one is written by a bunch of people using 
pseudonyms like “MC5” and “MA3”. They maintain their own 
idiosyncratic party line at length, dumping on nations all over the 
world (including China, where Deng is condemned as an inap- 
propriate heir to Mao) and engaging in self-criticism when they don’t 
provoke a revolution. A fascinating bunch of fanatics. (T-16t) 


tok kok : 

MIMOSA #7 ($2 or The Usual from Dick & Nicki Lynch, PO 
Box 1270, Germantown, MD 20874-0998): A SF fanzine which takes 
pride in its links to fannish history. Especially fun in this issue is 
a chat with both Robert Bloch and Bob Tucker, reprinted from 
CHAT, along with some other CHAT memories. The lettercol 
contains more on a fifty year old Worldcon controversy, and Sharon 
Farber discusses working at a mental hospital in some detail. (S-44) 


keakk 

OMINISTRY OF COGNIZANCE COMMUNIQUE #1-2 ($1 from 
Rodney E. Griffith, PO Box 523, Columbia Station, OH 44028-0523): 
MOC used to be an apa, but it’s mutated. Now Rodney is printing 
the whole schmeer himself. The general tone is somewhere between 
anarchist and marginal, with anti-SubG stuff in #2 and fallout on. 
the decadence of rock and roll in #1. I get the impression that the 
direction of this is not absolutely fixed yet, but boring sectarians 
need not apply. (D-12t) 


LRaRehalial 

THE MINNESOTA WOMEN’S PRESS Vol. 5 #15 ($25/26 issues _ 
from 2395 University Ave. #215, St. Paul, MN 55114): A newspaper 
concentrating on women’s issues, from workplace to lifestyle, in 
Minnesota. This issue has a special section on health & wellness, 
plus news of an audacious project to compile a huge list of pro-choice 


- voters across the state. (T-20t) 


tok kkk 





36 Zines 


OMISC. Dec. 1989 ($6/yr from Clark Humphrey, 1630 Boylston 
#203, Seattle, WA 98122): A single sheet of opinion, tips on what's 
hot, and new for the Seattle folk. Clark discusses everything from 
Christmas gifts to get and avoid to the struggle to save some local 
nightlife to elections to the turmoil in Eastern Europe. Witty and 
interesting, even for those of us clear across the continent. (S-2t) 


kkk 
MOBILITY LTD. Vol. 5 #6 ($14/yr from 401 Linden Center Dr., 
Fort Collins, CO 80524): “A magazine for people with mobility 
impairments”, this is full of ideas and news for people who need 
some help to get around. They’re especially strong in tracking new 
technologies and in telling how to adapt pastimes from gardening 
to canoeing for those who are disabled. (S-32t) 


kk kkk 

THE MONITOR #17 ($25/6 issues from CDR, PO Box 50469, 
Atlanta, GA 30302): Published by the Center for Democratic Renewal, 
this is the best source of outside information on the doings of 
various far-right and hate groups, from the Klan to the neo-Nazis 
to the Identity movement. From time to time I recommend something 
on the right as a way of getting a suppressed view. Well, you 
should also take a look at this one to see what some of those views 
mean in terms of concrete violence right now. (S-16t) 


kkk 

MONK #7 ($10/4 issues from 369 Montezuma #137, Santa Fe, 
NM 87501): Mike and Jim drive around the country in a mobile 
home with a Macintosh computer. Every once in a while they spit 
out this campy slick magazine. It’s full of natural food and New 
Age ‘ads, notes about their travels, missing cats, interviews, and 
plain silliness. A travelogue for people who don’t quite fit in with 
the world and like other people who are likewise. (S-96t) 


wk k kk 
MONSTER #25 ($10/24 issues from MPO Box 67, Oberlin, OH 
44074-0067): A small and frequent zine dedicated to the monster 
movie genre. #25 starts off with movies from Producers Releasing 
Corporation and also runs down a bunch of possession films, Exorcist 
ripoff and otherwise. (D-4t) 
kk kkk 
OMOONSHINE #16 (£1.50 from 498, Bristol Road, Selly Oak, 
Birmingham B29 6BD, UK): A rather impressive pagan magazine 
with a hefty amount of material on shamanism, including the first 
part of a series on “Techniques of Practical Shamanism” (leaning 
towards dreamwork to start). There’s a Starhawk interview with 
some commentary from others, poetry, personal epiphanies, and 
legends. Quite well-packed. (A4-44) 


kkk 
OTHE MOTHRA EFFECT #1/2 ($2 from RJ. lesch, PO Box 2752, 
Minneapolis, MN 55402): Actually, the two bucks is for issue #1, 
which I haven't seen; this is just the preview. It appears that this 
will be a literary zine for the crazy and confused, with new wavish 
poetry and fiction. There’s a tense, gonzo atmosphere to the pieces 
in this sample, and a feeling of the Sonics coming on too fast. (S-8t) 


Kk kkk 

MSRRT NEWSLETTER Vol. 2 #10 (45¢ SASE from Chris Dodge, 
4645 Columbus Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55407): This one is aimed 
at the socially-conscious librarian, an increasingly common species. 
It features bits and pieces of member news and librarian news. 
Perhaps of more interest to FF readers will be their extensive review 
section, covering many political and social publications which I don’t 
usually see. (S-16) 


Kk kkk 
MUSEUM INSIGHTS Vol. 1 #2-Vol. 2 #1 ($28/6 issues from 
PO Box 313, North Amherst, MA 01059): This is an unexpected 
delight, a newsletter for museum lovers (and who isn’t one?). Editor 
Nancy Frazier reviews museums, gallerys, and other exhibitions from 
all over the country (with perhaps some bias towards the Northeast), 
from the Palm Springs Desert Museum to The National Museum of 
Women in the Arts. Other readers chime in with pieces on places 
like Plimouth Plantation. Catalog and art video reviews complement 
the travels, with pages on famous paintings in each issue. (S-8t) 
kkk 
OMUSHROOM PIE (75¢ from Ken Wagner, 511 W. Sullivan, 
Olean, NY 14760): Ken says the title of this short story zine will 
change every time, but they'll still be numbered serially; this is also 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


STORYZINE #1. It’s got five real short stories in it, all by Ken, 
generally dealing with growing up fairly poor and in a broken home. 
I dunno how much (if any) of this is autobiographical, but a few 
of these pieces are quite affecting. (D-14) 


kk kkk 
OMW PENPAL WORLD Vol. 1 #1 ($1 from PO Box 563, Abilene, 
KS 67410): A new penpal magazine that is loosely associated with 
AMERICAN INDIAN DEFENSE NEWS, so it has a fair sprinkling 
of Native American entries. This being the first issue, there are not 
many listings; listings in future issues will be $3 each. (S-4) 


kk kkk 

THE MYSTERY FANCIER Vol. 11 #2 ($7.50 from Guy M. 
Townsend, 407 Jefferson St., Madison, IN 47250): A rather literate 
journal for mystery lovers. The writers here consider such esoteric 
topics as “The Medical Practitioner in the Writings of Raymond 
Chandler” or the innovative style of Dashiell Hammett or obscure 
pulp series. There’s also reviews as well as Jeff Banks’s continuing 
look at the statistics of mystery titles. (D-104t) 


kkk kk 
NAAPM NEWSLETTER #41 ($10/4 issues from 2735 Benvenue 
#3, Berkeley, CA 94705): The quarterly publication of the National 
Association for the Advancement of Perry Mason, a fan club in the 
traditional mode. They’re always interested in exploring aspects of 
Mason’s career and its presentation to the public. (D-16r) 


S tok kok 

> NADA Vol. 2 #1-4 (75¢ from John McCarthy, 1459 W. Cortez, 
Chicago, IL 60622): A forum for mail art and xerographic art. Most 
of the works here don’t seem to struggle too hard to make a point. 
Rather, they take bits of the ideosphere that are underutilized and 
recombine them, displaying the idea of recycling in the context of 
culture. #4 gives the impression of consumer culture running at a 
fever pitch just before breaking down entirely. (D-16) 


kkk kk 
NAKED LADIES DANCE #3 ($1 from PO Box 20421, Providence, 
RI 02920): As the title suggests, nude dancers are the reason for 
the existence of this zine. Stev reviews clubs and dancers, and 
Teprints signed photos he’s picked up along the way. This issue 
also has a review of the MELODY comic series. (D-12r) 
kk kkk 
ONAPHA NEWS ($$2 (?) from PO Box 83, Mt. prospect, IL 60056): 
That stands for National Amusement Park Historical Association”, 
although the articles within cover plenty of current rides as well as 
blasts from the past. Carousels, roller coasters, log rides, you name 
it, you'll find it here. They preview new construction and feature 
photos of classic rides. No information that I can see on joining 
NAPHA, so an SASE might be in order. (S-32) 


kakkkk 

OTHE NET OF LOVE Vol. V #3 (Donation from Sunrise, PO 
Box 113, Warrenville, IL 60555): Sunrise is “An International 
Networking Organization” dedicated to manifesting the power of 
love in the world. They print articles from a variety of viewpoints, 
New Age, Christian and otherwise and encourage members to 
interact with each other and the world on a loving basis. Their goal 
is 500,000,000 members by 2000 AD. (S-18) 


kk kkk 
THE NEW ABOLITIONIST Vol. VII #3/4 ($15/yr from Nuclear 
Free America, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218): NFA tracks 
the progress of communities around the country in their efforts to 
ban nuclear weapons and related items from their borders. This 
issue focuses on Oakland, where the Federal government and others 
have filed suit to block implementation of such an ordinance. They 
also list the NFZs around the world and the top fifty nuke contractors, 
just in case you’re in a boycotting mood. (T-16t) 
kkk kk 
ONEW AGE DIGEST #1 ($7.95/yr from Starlog Telecommunica- 
tions Inc., 475 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016): A new 
magazine in the pulp format: a thick perfect-bound digest. Much of 
the thickness comes from reprinting; over half of what's here is 
excerpts from various books put out by Llewellyn, Shambala and 
others (even Thoreau gets excerpted—what would he have thought?) 
Topics run from chakras to vegetarianism (they seem ignorant of 
veganism) to astrology to the search for Enlightenment. About what 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


you'd expect from something that looks like an old SF magazine. 
(D-114t) 
kkk kk 
THE NEW CRUCIBLE Nov. 1989 ($3 from Garry De Young, PO 
Box 7252, Spencer, IA 51301): This is Garry’s “Magazine about man 
and his environment”. It's got environmental news releases from all 
around the country, as well as feature articles. Garry also prints the 


latest legal news on his Constitutional struggles and a smattering 


of freethought material. (S-94t) 


kk kkk 

NEW ENGLAND GREEN ACTION #2 ($10/6 issues from new 
England Green Alliance, PO Box 4567, Burlington, VT 05406): This 
newsletter comes from one of the various groups of Greens in this 
neck of the woods—mostly, the “lefter”, social ecology oriented 
folks, #2 focuses on the Seabrook nuke plant and how the Democratic 
party leadership has endorsed it. Toxics, feminism and the stands 
of the Left Greens are also addressed. (S-8t) 


Lahahahehes 

NEW ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN #167-169 ($6.50/yr from Bill 
Case, 120 Academy St., Manlius, NY 13104): The folks int he New 
Environment Association were wrestling with some currently- 
fashionable topics, like a sustainable ing and a revived sense of 
community, long before they. became ashionable. They’re still 
wrestling, coming together in meetings, looking at land, planing 
dream houses, and consider changes in both self and society. A 
neat example where the personal really is political. (S-6t) 


Kak kk 
NEW FORCES Vol. 1 #7 ($5/yr from Tim Mayer, 8816 Manchester 
Rd. #167, St. Louis, MO 63144): A political newsletter with “Falangist” 
roots—indeed, the major article in this issue is on the fate of the 
Falangist party in Bolivia. They also take a quick look at recent 
events in Lebanon. (S-6) ; 


kkkkk 

OTHE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME DEFENDER Vol. 1 #1-2 ($5.50 
for #1 or $3 for #2 from Veterans Information Project, POI Box 662, 
Hillsborough, NH 03244): This magazine came out in 1986, back 
when the Feds were still thinking of putting a high-level nuke waste 
dump in New Hampshire. It’s full of reasons why this is a Bad 
Idea, some of them specific to the site, some not. Other anti-nuclear 
activists could probably find some useful ideas here. Oh yeah—they 
won. (S-40t) 


kKekkk 

NEW HOPE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW SUPPLEMENT Vol. 13 
#5 ($3 from 20 Werneth Avenue, Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 
5NL, UK): A review mag, more informative than pretty, more poetry 
than prose, more British than Canadian or American—though of 
course there are exceptions to all these classifications. They have a 
wide variety of reviewers and often have two or more perspectives 
on a single title. Very good at putting things in the context of their 
own national scene. (A5-34) 


kkk kk 

NEW INDICATOR Vol. 15 #1-6 ($8/yr from Student Organiza- 
tions, UC San Diego B-023, La Jolla, CA 92093): 23 years later and 
still maintaining a fierce radical edge, this is an alternative paper 
for the entire UCSD community. #1 includes notes on the ozone 
layer, legal advice for sneaking beer into dry dorms, how to jam a 
parking meter, and the usual pitch for more people to get involved. 
They also do a good job of covering boycotts and international 
affairs from an opposition point of view. (T-12t) 


Kkkkk 
NEW OPTIONS #63 ($2 from PO Box 19324, Washington, DC 
20036): Mark Satin keeps his ears open for hints of new ways to 
deal with major social and political problems, and presents them 
distilled for his readership. This issue focuses on the global market 
and whether we can arrange to have it somehow be not just another 
big place for big companies to make money. (S-8t) 


kkk 
NEW PLAYS & PLAYWRIGHTS Vol. 3 #4 (On Request from 
PO Box 14524, Chicago, IL 60614): A publication aimed at the theater 
community in the Midwest. They interview playwrights and others 
involved in the theater, including Artistic Director Dennis McCullough 
in this issue. New plays are reviewed and there is some general 
consideration of the health of the theater. (S-32t) 


Zines 37 


kkk kk 
NEWS & LETTERS Vol. 34 #10 ($2.50/yr from 59 E. Van Buren 
#707, Chicago, IL 60605): As far as I know, this tabloid is the only 
periodical where you can read about Marxist Humanism: an attempt 
to recover the original ideas of Marx, unsullied by the later excesses 
of state capitalism. Despite all this, the format echoes that of 
Communist papers of all stripes: lots of worldwide political and labor 
news, coupled with analyses charting the course of the revolution. 
(T-12t) 
kkk kk 
NEWS AND NOTES FROM ALL OVER 12/17/89 ($1 from SET, 
PO Box 10491, Oakland, CA 94610): The Society for the Eradication 
of Television is still doing what it can to warn people of the 
drawbacks of the idiot box and propose alternatives. This issue 
includes the bit that ran in Dear Abby, in which the advice columnist 
called the group un-American, as well as other reprints. (L-2) 


kkk 
NEWS FROM THE MOTHER GROVE Vol. 2 #6 ($1 (?) from Ar 
nDrafocht Féin, PO Box 1022, Nyack, NY 10960): This one seems 
to have perked up considerably of late, perhaps representing a new 
influx of energy into this serious revival Druidic neopagan faith. The 
NEWS is essentially an inreach organ, with Board meeting notes, 
lists of Groves and Protogroves, and thoughts on rituals. (D-16t) 


Kkkkk 

NEW THOT FREE THOT Vol. 1 #4 (Sample on request from 
Bill Greenhouse Publications, 1215 N. Genesee Ave., Los Angeles, 
CA 90046): An interdenominational publication for practitioners of 
several religions which seem to have their common ideological roots 
in Christian Science—New Thought and The Infinite Way are two 
of the other main ones here. Much of the discussion is technical 
and not open to outsiders. The biggest chunk of this issue explores 
the codependency between the leaders of the United Church of 
Religious Science and its participants. (D-24t) 


kkkkk 

NEW UNIONIST #149-150 ($3/10 issues from 621 W. Lake St. 
#210, Minneapolis, MN 55408): A monthly paper for folks who feel 
that true socialism is the answer to many of our ills. #149 explains 
why the breakdown of politics in Eastern Europe cannot be 
interpreted as a failure of true Marxism. It’s also got a short biography 
of American Marxist Daniel DeLeon. #150 has one of the first leftist 
critiques of the American invasion of Panama that I’ve seen. (T-4t) 


wakkk 

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF SCIENCE FICTION #16 ($2.50 
from PO Box 78, Pleasantville, NY 10570): Literary criticism of 
speculative fiction aimed at the insiders and intelligentsia. There’s a 
fine essay on A.E, van Vogt by Alexei and Cory Panshin in this 
issue. But on the whole, it’s too dry and high-falutin’ for me. Then 
again, they’d probably find FF to be the literary equivalent of eating 
soup with the wrong fork. (S-24t) 


kkkkk 

ONEXT PHASE Vol. 1 #1-3 (95¢ from Phantom press, 41 Bishop 
St., New Haven, CT 06511): A poster magazine of experimental art 
and literature. Start with the picture on the cover. Open it once to 
find a spread of poetry and short editorial. Open it again and find 
a single piece of art, highlighted with notes on the artist and his 
intent. Close it and look on the back and there’s a short story. The 
design is impeccable and the topics tend to be those of environ-. 
mentalism, social justice, and other such concerns. (O-2t) 


ka kkk 
NICE DAY FOR A FUNERAL #2 (SASE from Ilene c/o 
Nonoxynol-9, PO Box 7792, Rego Park, NY 11374): A collage of 
stuff about death: funeral home ads, collages of flying funeral 
directors, notes on cremation, and more. They also throw in a few 
referrals to other, less morbid fanzines. (D-12) 


kk kkk 

NOCTULPA #4 ($10 from George Hatch, PO Box 5175, Long 
Island City, NY 11105): A paperback-fat perfect-bound collection of 
horror short stories. There’s plenty to choose from here, but I most 
enjoyed (if that is the word) Ronald Kelly’s futuristic “Flash-Welder”, 
a tale of war and revenge. There’s a story of shifting viewpoint 
from Steve Rasnic Tem, a rather disgusting “What a Waste!” by H. 
Andrew Lynch, and Lovecraftian poetry by Ann K. Schwader. And 
that’s just the tip of the graveyard... (D-175t) 5 





38 Zines 


kk kkk 
ONOCTURNAL CLASSICS #1 ($2 from Nocturnal Publications, 
1591 Taylor St. #4, St. Paul, MN 55104): A new quarterly which (at 
least for this premiere issue) is showing off a single story. This time 
its R. David Ludwig’s “The Curio Shoppe Gifts”, a tale of child 
abuse and child revenge with an unexpected ending. With 
illustrations by Allen Koszowski, it’s a nice little package. (D-16t) 


kkk kk 


THE NOCTURNAL LYRIC #13 ($1.25 from Susan, PO Box 2602, 


Pasadena, CA 91102-2602): A very underground litmag, more 
concerned with printing good stories than looking slick, having the 
latest authors, or sucking up to the bigger mags. A lot of the stories 
here have a depressing feel born perhaps of youthful cynicism about 
the world, which can make reading a whole issue a bit tough. For 
$1.50 you can get their new “Author's Booklet”, which has contact 
addresses for the writers here and an index to the magazine’s 
contents. (D-24r) 


kkk kk 
NO LONGER SILENT #3 ($1.50 CASH/MO/Stamps from Eliza 
Blackweb, PO Box 3582, Tucson, AZ 85722): A small anarchist zine 
with a rather independent voice, not tied to any faction of the 
national “movement”. This issue casts a critical look at the SF 
gathering, discusses the follies of both direct action and armchairism, 
and has some interesting letters. A good mix of poetry and graphics 
makes it fairly light (but not lightweight!) reading. (D-28) 
08.8 .8.4 
NOOK NEWS Vol. 5 #4 ($4 from 38114 Third St. #181, 
Willoughby, OH 44094): A support journal for writers. They provide 
short how-to articles, as well as lists of events, contests, and markets. 
They’re interested in everything from poetry to playwriting, and put 
out various special bulletins on the side. They also claim to be aimed 
at all writers, although it appears to me that beginners have the 
most to learn from this publication. (S-12t) 


tok k ik 
NOOK NEWS CONFERENCES & KLATCHES BULLETIN Vol. 
2 #4 ($4 from 38114 Third St. #181, Willoughby, OH 44094): 
Organized geographically, this one lists Support groups, meetings, 
workshops and other opportunities for the writer in need of training 
or encouragement. Each issue has around 75 listings, mainly in the 
US but with a few elsewhere in the world. (D-12t) 


kk kkk 
NO POETRY ($2 from PO Box 17863, Denver, CO 80217): This 
is the “Anti-Everything Issue” of this artzine put out by Julee-Peezlee. 
It's got a lot of killer collages, with color photos pasted down on 
some pages. The messages here tend to be bleak, of death and 
murder and decay. Organized religion and mass consumption get 
slammed, and in one corner there are a few fanzine reviews. Real 
nice looking, with a free morbid “Welcome to the Nineties” sticker 
in every copy. (HL-28t) 
th k kk 
NORTHERN SUN NEWS Vol. 12 #9 ($15/yr from 1519 E. Franklin 
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404): A regular tabloid of news on a 
variety of peace and social justice issues. #9 is largely focused on 
teproductive rights—not just the abortion question, but sterilization 
of Native American women and the alarming incidence of C-sections 
in this country as well. (T-16t) 


kkk kk 
NO SENSE #3 (SASE from PO Box 5961, Buena Park, CA 90622): 
An exercise in personal communication, this contains most anything 
that editor Jeff wants to talk about. This includes a short twos 
story, some poems, music reviews, and a piece on why eating meat 
is wrong. For future issues he’s looking for responses to the question 
“What is Utopia?”. (D-8r) 
kkkkk 
NOTES FROM THE DUMP Vol. 4 #59-64 ($20/yr from Terry 
Ward, PO Box 39, Acworth, NH 03601): Terry really does run a 
dump (well, a “transfer station”) up in New Hampshire, which fuels 
his rants on garbage and recycling and the like. But it also gives 
him spare time to reminisce, tell stories from his past, or rage about 
the current political situation. He’s an entertaining writer, and this 
no-frills paper survives because of that. (S-6) 


tok 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


ONOTES IN CLASS #1 ($2.50 from David Elzey, PO Box 11224, 
Berkeley, CA 04701-2224): Some of the flotsam from the years David 
Spent as a teacher in Berkeley and Oakland: the notes he found 
littering the classroom floor when the students had gone. Transcribed 
and with the names changed, they show conclusively that things 
are much the same as ever in the schools, and that homework is 
not uppermost on the minds of the pupils. (D-19) 


kk kkk ; 

NOVOID #7 ($3 from Colin Hinz, 349 West St. N, Orillia, ONT, 
L3V 5E1, CANADA): Colin occupies one of the pivotal positions in 
the meta-network of zinedom; NOVOID helps bridge the diverse 
cultures of science fiction and experimental art. This issue, for 
example, has much critical examination of the Art trike—and then 
a lettercol composed mostly of folks from SF fandom. Neal Wilgus 
contributes short humorous news items, Jeff Curtis a somewhat 
salacious piece of comic art, and Joseph Uphoff, Jr., some of his 
mathematically enhanced prose. The zine looks and feels good too, 
with appropriate use of both mimeography and xerography. I like 
it. (Though it’s a bit odd to read other people discussing oneself in 
the letters...sort of like eavesdropping). (S-42) 


tok kkk 
ONOZINE #2 ($2 from L.J. McAdams, PO Box 4542, Seattle, WA 
98104): A collection of photocopy art and other stuff with a strongly 
depressing futuristic content—at least, it’s depressing if you're not 
into war and computers and corporations. They print a photo of a 
punk rock Reagan, some short stories, and a full page of neon-green 
poetry stickers as well. Very creative. (S-30) 
tok kkk 
OTHE NUCLEAR RESISTER #66 ($15/8 issues from PO Box 43383, 
Tucson, AZ 85733): These people aim to report comprehensively on 
civil disobedience directed against nuclear weapons and power. They 


| have short stories on a lot of actions, plus addresses and the 


occasional letter for people serving time. It’s front-cover news in 
#66 that a Massachusetts jury actually acquitted on a necessity 
defense. (T-8r) 


kkk k Kk 

ONYCAP NEWSLETTER Vol. 1 #1 ($10/yr from 33 Central Ave., 
Albany, NY 12210): This comes from the New York Coalition for 
Alternatives to Pesticides, a new umbrella group that takes a hardcore 
line. They basically want to get rid of pesticides and move people 
towards integrated pest management. This premiere issue includes 
success stories, flea-fighting ideas, and lots of contacts and resources. 
(S-8t) 


tok 

THE OBLIGATORY SIN #2 ($4 from Bob Crouch, 210 E. 
Jefferson, Pittsburg, KS 66762): A litmag with a theme—this time 
around it’s “Redemption”, and as one might expect,t here’s a heavy 
spiritual content to the stories’ and poems here. Some good work 
here, including Cathy Buburuz’s poem “Lugubrious Intermezzos at 
St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Elementary” and the mythic short story 
“Not Quite the Girl Next Door” by Holli Quinn. (HL-56) 


kkk kk 

BSCURE PUBLICATIONS & VIDEO #2 (SASE (?) from PO 
x 1334, Milwaukee, WI 53201): This one traces a few things that 
may well be more obscure than most I mention. For example, there 
are notes in this issue on a forthcoming GG Allin biography, on a 
film of Bernhard Goetz confessing, and on the complete Bryant 
Gumbel memo (which they'll send you for four stamps). Lots of 

alternative culture moguls mentioned here. (S-4t) 


tok kk 
THE ODINIST #124-125 ($8/yr from PO Box 1647, Crystal River, 
FL 32629): A historically-oriented northern pagan journal, working 
towards a better future for the “Folk”. If the merest hint of white 
pride turns you off, stay away; their introductory pamphlet is clear 
on things like preserving their own “racial and cultural heritage”. 
Otherwise, you may find interesting things in their broad-ranging 
articles; #124 goes all the way from Zen to the political system of 
ancient Rome. #125 includes a revised list of Odinist festivals and 
a review of Sombart. THE JEWS AND MODERN CAPITALISM. 
(S-10) 
kk kkk 
OFFICE NUMBER ONE Vol. 645 #197 ($5.43/4 issues from 1709 
San Antonio St., Austin, TX 78701): A humorous zine of parallel 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


universes. This issue opens with proof that Santa and Jesus are 
brothers, and then moves on to a psychological interpretation of 
Jack & the Beanstalk, alien visits, haiku, and who knows what else. 
(HL-12) 
kkkkk 

DOREGON PAGAN COUNCIL NETWORK NEWSLETTER Vol. 
1 #2 (Donation from PO Box 1012, Oregon City, OR 97045): This 
is a sort of overarching publication contributed to by a number of 
pagan groups in the Pacific Northwest. Of interest in this issue is 
an article on the hatchet job done on the Aquarian Tabernacle Church 
by a local TV station and the “Pagan Entrepreneur's Corner.” (S-10r) 


kk kkk 

THE ORWELLIAN TIMES #25 ($15/yr from PO Box 22431, St. 
Louis, MO 63126): A somewhat conspiracy-oriented look at the ills 
of the modern world. Editor Winston Smith is most focused on the 
Federal Reserve Bank and the fictitious nature of our monetary 
system. But fluoridation, the IRS, the masons, doublethink, Karl 
Marx and Jesus Christ all come into these pages at one point or 
another. (S-7) : 


tk kkk 
OTTERWISE Winter 1989 ($4/4 issues from PO Box 1374, Portland, 
ME 04104): A zine “for kids who love animals”, this one puts animal 
rights ideas into language suitable for children. The winter issue 
features an article on dolphins, a story about hunting, and a recipe 
for a vegetable turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. There are crosswords 
and other puzzles, plus jokes and a short book review. (S-8t) 


kkk kk 

DOUTLAW BIKER #61 ($29.95/12 issues from Room 2305, 450 
Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001): A magazine for bikers who 
are into fast wheels, wild women, and heavy partyi g—and don’t 
care to hide it. They revel in the biker lifestyle, wi lots of photos 
of the women and the bikes and the tattoos, and features ranging 
from jokes to a tech advice column to space for Vietnam vets to 
eet It’s a slick professional job, but not one for the inhibited. 
(S-84t) 


kkkkk 


po ASE 








Zines 39 


DOUTLAW BIKER TATTOO REVUE #6 ($4.95 from 450 Seventh 
Ave. #2305, New York, NY 10001): A slick periodical directed at a 
specific segment of the tattoo market. This issue is largely taken up 
with the “People’s Choice Awards”—the artists that their readers 
picked as the best, with brief histories and lots of photos of their 
work. Plenty of color here, and lots of amazing skin art. (S-82t) 


kk bk 

OUTRAGE #20-22 ($3 from 108 soy Aa Pl., Ithaca, NY 14850): 
“All the news that’s been suppressed” from an anarchist collegiate 
perspective. There’s a lot of anti-frat stuff in these issues, and it 
looks like anti-frat activists may just be getting somewhere at Cornell. 
They also defend free speech, report on the anarchist gathering, and 
discuss the drawbacks of corporate control of pharmaceuticals. 
Well-done and intense. (HL-12) 


tk kkk 

OUT WEST #9 ($2.50 from 10522 Brunswick Rd., Grass Valley, 
CA 95945): “The Newspaper That Roams” does so in a motor home, 
driving about the American West with editor Chuck Woodbury at 
the wheel. Along the way he takes pictures and writes about 
dino-parks, stores hiding in caves, towns so small the only elevator 
is a dumbwaiter, and so on. The wide open spaces are still full of 
friendly people and strange sights, and this is the second-best (after 
going there) way to see some of them. (T-40t) 


tek tk 
PACIFIC CRYSTAL GUILD NEWSLETTER Winter 1989-90 (SASE 
(2) from PO Box 1371, Sausalito,, CA 94966-1371): A bare-bones 
informational listing for those interested in crystals, with a New Age 
slant. The bulk of it is devoted to listing crystal stores on the west 
coast, chiefly Northern California. There’s also notes on a few 
forthcoming events for this community. (S-4) 


kek 

PAGANS FOR PEACE NEWSLETTER #42 ($15/13 issues from 
PO Box 86134, North Vancouver, BC, V7L 4J5, CANADA): The 
Pagans for Peace Network seems to be a bit tenuous these days, 
perhaps due to editor Sam Wagar’s recent move. The newsletter is 
still coming out regularly, with notes on the state of Paganism in 
Canada, contact addresses, and bits of news. Karl Marx puts in an 
appearance as a Voudon loa in this issue. (S-4r) 


kkk 
PALLAS SOCIETY NEWS Vol. 4.#3 ($8.50/yr from PO Box 18211, 
Encino, CA 91316): A pagan journal which encourages discussion 
on all sorts of basics. In this issue, that includes the ethics of the 
Craft, the place of sexuality in pagan teachings, and the necessity 
of working for initiation as opposed to “instant magic”. There’s also 
some well-researched material on the Irish Celtic tradition and a 
Yule ritual. (HL-58) ; 
kkk 
OPALMETTO POST #2 ($0-$20/yr from AFSC, 130 19th Ave. SE, 
St. Petersburg, FL 33705): This is a joint project of the American 
Friends Service Committee and the Florida Greens Clearinghouse, 
providing comprehensive Greens information to the area. #2 has the 
text of the SPAKAs from the Eugene conference, as well as local 
reports, Housing Now! action reports, and some basic green 
philosophy. An excellent production. (T-32t) 


kk kkk 
THE PAN-AMERICAN INDIAN ASSOCIATION NEWS #27 
($12/5 issues from PO Box 244, Nocatee, FL 33864): A very open 
Native American paper which networks people together and 
encourages attendance at Sweat Lodges and other ceremonies. They 
accept anyone with any Indian blood, and list all sorts of goings-on, 
language lessons, genealogy ideas, and more. (T-16) 
tek tk ; 
OPANIC (2 IRCs (?) from Libby Hart, PO Box 151, Surrey Hills, 
3127, AUSTRALIA): An international mail-art contact sheet. Libby 
lists shows from all over: Italy, Japan, Australia, Germany...though, 
strangely enough, none from the US in this issue. TO get your mail 
art event listed, just write. (A4-2) : 
kkk 
PANMAG #27 (SASE from PO Box 1500, New York, NY 1009): 
A mail art reaction to SMILE, the Art Strike, Plagiarism, and other 
hot topics on the network these days. It’s a collage of drawings 
and clippings and bits of manifestoes, with Mark Bloch’s comments 








40 Zines 


scribbled in between. Who knows what it all means; maybe nothing, 
maybe everything. (S-4) 


tk kkk 
PAPERBACK PARADE #16 ($4 from Gryphon Publications, PO 
Box 209, Brooklyn, NY 11228-0209): A zine for collectors of paperback 
books from the golden era, when men were men and covers hinted 
at sleaze which the books often didn’t contain. This issue is a special 
about Richard Prather, with an interview done by Richard Lupoff 
and some autobiographical musings as well. (D-48r) 


kkkkk 

APER WORK #3 (Free to contributors or exchange with other 
il Art zines from Gregory Zbitnew, #4-2305 W. 6th, Vancouver, 
BC, V6K 1W1, CANADA): A collection of original mail art pieces 
loosely revolving around the theme of “television”, with collage, 
rubber stamping and other handwork touches throughout. The next 
couple of issues will be concerned with “official” forms and 
documents and then handmade postcards, if you want to get 

involved. (S-15) 


kkkkk 
OPARACLETE Vol. 1 #3 (Donation from PO Box 9715-330, 
Portland, ME 04104): Published by the Sophia Divinity School, which 
is an activity of the Church of Antioch. They describe themselves 
as an independent Catholic rite, and believe in the existence of a 
divine voice within. Among other things, they sell various Gnostic 
texts by mail. (S-4) 


kkkkk 
OPARLEE PLUS Vol. 15 #7 ($36/yr from PO Box 430, Babylon, 
NY 11702): A slick-cover gay tabloid centered in New York. It’s 
about 50-50 news and entertainment, leading off with brief stories 
from around the world. Later they review music (not all by gay 
performers), print astrology and advice columns, and of course print 
ads from the gay social scene. Joe Bracco and Byron Keith Bird are 
profiled in #7. (T-58t) 
tokio 
PARTS IV ($12/4 issues from 451 Moody St. #134, Waltham, MA 
02154): A zine for fans of the movie Re-Animator, which in turn was 
adapted from a Lovecraft story. They feature news of what the folks 
from that film are up to now (a sequel is in the works), tasteless 
humor, SubGenius references, and more. There’s a bit of fiction and 
silly tabloid news stories on decapitated heads here as well. (S-32t) 


kkk 
THE PATRIOT REVIEW Vol. IV #5 ($1.75 from PO Box 905, 
Sandy, OR 97055): A Constitutionalist journal which seems to be 
about equally concerned with America’s lack of moral fiber and 
fighting the IRS. They have all sorts of theories on how to pay less 
taxes, as well as articles on juries, the World Conservation Bank, 
and other favorite hobbyhorses of the movement. (T-16t) 


tok kkk 
PEACE ($1 (?) from PO Box 1088, Violet, LA 70092): A small 
zine of Christian evangelism. Besides the usual earnest preaching 
and the list of uplifting cassette tapes they have for sale, this issue 
has the first part of a look at the occult and an interview with Rob 
Flanagan from the band Righteous. (HL-18) 


kk kkk 

PEACE & FREEDOM Vol. 6 #3 ($1.50 [no checks] from Paul 
Rance, 17 Farrow Rd., Whaplode Drove, Spalding, S. Lincs., PE12 
OTS, UK): A jam-packed zine of alternative culture in England and 
beyond. There are pages for poetry, independent book publishing, 
music, zines, you name it. They also carry notes on quite a number 
of social causes. Everything is packed in tight in fine print, which 
makes for a bit of searching sometimes (but who am I to complain?). 
It’s good to see the scene is vibrant there too. (A5-36r) 


Kk kkk 
THE PEACEMAKER Vol. 42 #7 ($10/yr suggested donation from 
PO Box 627, Garberville, CA 95440): There’s a core of socially-com- 
mitted activists in this country who refuse to cooperate with the 
government, to the extent of withholding income taxes that would 
be spent on the military, trying to beat missiles into plowshares, 
and so on. THE PEACEMAKER chronicles what some of these 
activists are up to, and offers essays on ideas for living rightly in 
a world organized wrongly. I find it inspiring. (T-8t) 
kk kkk 


5 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


OPEACE MEAL NOTES #2-4 (Donation from Steve Gulick, 2211 
Bainbridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19146): Steve's altar ego is the Peace 
Meal Player, a socially conscious mime. This short newsletter looks 
at street theater and other unusual ways to get messages across. 
He talks about local events, activism, and cultural democracy in a 
relaxed friendly tone. Small but open to ideas. (S-3) 


ttt kk 

PEACEWORK #192-193 ($1 from AFSC, 2161 Massachusetts Ave., 
Cambridge, MA 02140): International news and opinion from the 
American Friends Service Committee (Quakers, for those of you 
slow on the uptake). #192 opens with articles assessing bits of the 
situation in Central America, focused on El Salvador, Columbia, 
Costa Rica and Honduras. It also reports a successful use of the 
“necessity defense” in a CD trial. #193 features statements from a 
number of activists on “Challenges of the ’90s for Nonviolent Social 
Change”. The common themes seem to be a need for more 
democratic institutions and more linkage between currently frag- 
mented issues. (S-16t) 


tok tok 

PENGUIN DIP #30-31 ($15/10 issues from Stephen H. Dorneman, 
94 Eastern Ave. #1, Malden, MA 02148): This one starts off each 
issue as a SF fanzine, with letters from a batch of folks on diverse 
subjects and an article or two (Lawrence Watt-Evans on convention 
programming in this issue). Then it mutates into a Diplomacy zine, 
with reports on the various games Stephen is running in the back. 
An interesting combination, and one which probably broadens 
horizons in both fields. #31 has the results of a reader survey and 
predictions for world affairs in 1990. (S-18) 


kkk kk 

PENT-UP OBSERVATIONS Vol. 1 #3 (Donation from Mike Furry, 
$67000, Arizona State Prison, 10,000 S. Wilmot Rd., Tucson, AZ 
85777-0005): Edited jointly by Mike and Avi Naftel (who is also in 
the State Prison), this is a rather miscellaneous collection. There's a 
nukewar story, ads for Greenpeace and PETA, stuff on how Hitler 
was the most successful anti-abortionist ever, civil rights news, and 
a page of fanzine listings. They're willing to send this out for most 
any donation, with stamps being helpful. (S-30) 


took kk 

THE PENUMBRA #2 (One stamp from Porcine Software, PO 
Box 20625, New York, NY 10009): A satirical Tesponse to both New 
York City’s attempt to make the Tompkins Square area safe for 
Yuppies and the THE SHADOW, a radical paper keeping an eye 
on the situation. The actual goings-on are so Byzantine that at times 
it’s tough to know what (if anything) here is satire. I did enjoy the 
comparative review of boiled potatoes. (T-8t) 


kkk kk 
PEPTALK Vol. 6 #4 ($10/4 issues from PEP, PO Box 5247, Eugene, 
OR 97405): These folks provide information and support for those 
who think they might be interested in polyfidelity—sexually closed 
group marriage. They practice what they preach, and the lead article 
here is an interview with a successful triad. There are also answers 
to readers’ questions and some stuff on how to relate to other 
people. (S-10t) 
kk kkk 
PERIPHERAL VISIONS #2 ($1 or The Usual from Rob Sommers, 
PO Box 15031, Gainesville, FL 32604-5031): A small zine based in 
the SF world with some of the verve of SCIENCE FICTION 
RANDOMLY, which is hardly surprising as they’re roommates. This 
issue includes Steve Antczak on the best movies of the 80’s, a few 
zine reviews, and some poetry from Charles Lipsig as well as fantasy 
by Hawk. (S-14t) 


kk kkk 

PHILIP MORRIS MAGAZINE Nov./Dec. 1989 (Subscription 
hotline 1-800-235-7501): This one reminds me a lot of airline 
magazines: lost of slick human interest stories having little to do 
with the folks putting it out. There’s a stuntwoman here, some soup 
recipes, and a photo feature on extremely large chairs. As far as I 
can tell, there are two reasons for subscribing: you're a militant 
pro-smoker and want to read their news on the latest fights (which 
is extensive) or you're a militant anti-smoker and you want to cost 
the company some money by getting free copies. (S-44t) 


kkkkk 


i 


ae NEWSLETTER #22/23 ($6/yr from 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Zines 41 


OTHE PIGEON CREEK CLARION #1 
(SASE (?) from Don Rodgers, PO Box 1014, 
Greenville, GA 30222): A single-page essay 
from Don, looking at government intrusion 
into our lives. “When the government sets 
standards for you it also sets your priorities 
for you” pretty well sums up the complaint 
here. (S-1) 


kkk 

PIRATE JENNY #4 ($3 from Pat 
Mueller, 618 Westriidge, Duncanville, TX 
75116): A good-looking science fiction zine 
with fun contents. Pat’s own diary excerpts 
are great, talking about the world from 
setting to pregnancy. Dennis Virzi 
takes SF fandom apart with a Jackie Mason 
schtick, while B. Ware explains Why Artists 
Starve. The lettercol is well-edited and 

intelligent. One of the best. (S-32t) 


kkk kk 


© Box 611, Glen Ellen, CA 95442: The 
Phil Dick industry continues to roll along, 
with movies, opera, biographies, you name 
it. This newsletter of the Philip K. Dick 
Society tracks it all, prints obscure bits of 
Dickiana, interviews people involved with 
Dick’s memory, and generally having a 
good time, Interesting spread of Japanese paperback covers and 
enough news to choke a horse mark this issue. (S-20t) 


Kkkkk 
PLAGIARISTIC TENDENCIES #8 ($1 from Sara Edwards, Box 
66, Rt. 16, Ischua, NY 14743): The title here tells the story—the 
contents are swiped from a bunch of other zines. There’s some 
comic art, a few short short stories, a diner picture, Lydia Lunch, 
and some plagiarist manifesto. Inscrutable. (S-10) 


kk kkk 

PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER #252 ($1.50 from Jude Grant, PO 
Box 12421, Columbus, OH 43212): #252 is an all-comics issue of this 
wide-open zine. There’s a lot of stuff here to offend folks, from the 
inbred bear to Premature Ejaculator Girl to bits of sex and violence 
(though not gratuitous ones), but Jude stands up for free speech, 
so they’re here. Besides, a lot of this stuff is funny, particularly the 
snide works from Dave Matthews and Gordon Nelson. (S-28) 


kkkkK 

THE PLOWSHARES NEWSLETTER Vol. 6 #3 (Donation from 
PO Box 585, Orlando, FL 32802): This smail tabloid does its best to 
track Plowshares actions around the world—direct witness against 
the weapons of war, by people not afraid to be arrested while trying 
to beat nuclear missiles or subs into plowshares. The latest actions, 
trials, releases and so on are in every issue, along with addresses 
for activists and thoughts about the course of the movement. (T-8) 


kkk 
OPODIUM Nov. 1989 (Contact at PO Box 190, Avenel, NJ 07001): 
This is mostly directed at the inmate population of the Adult 
Diagnostic and Treatment Center, a special prison in New Jersey 
for those convicted of various sex crimes, but the editor suggests 
that copies may be available for postage. It’s a fat and well-done 
package, with articles on the ADTC itself, various resources (AA, 
Sexaholic Anonymous, the Bible), news from outside the walls, 

stories from inmates, and more. (S-64) 


kkk 
POINTS OF LIGHT Vol. II #10-Vol. Il #1 (SASE from 928 E. 
Fifth St., Brooklyn, NY 11230-2104): A pagan newsletter from the 
Temple of Eternal Light. They announce upcoming events under 
their sponsorship and publish short articles of possible interest to 


the pagan and New Age communities. #1, for example, has an 
introduction to Imbolc. They also sell various magical supplies. (L-2) 


kkk 
OTHE POLITICAL BANDWAGON Vol. 6 #5 ($12/12 issues from 
1632 Robert Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601): This is for collectors of 
political ephemera—chiefly campaign buttons, though they range 
afield to sample ballots, books and other goodies. The bulk of the 





paper consists of auctions and sales from 
folks with things they don’t want, with 
lots of pictures. This issue also has an 
overview of artifacts from the suffrage 
movement. (T-20t) 


Kkkkk 
THE PORTLAND ALLIANCE Vol. 9 

#12 ($15/yr from McKenzie River Gather- 
ing, 2807 SE Stark, Portland, OR 97214): 
A community tabloid with a hard, radical 
edge to it. This issue examines class 
conflict in a “revitalizing” area of the city 
and reports on a FEMA nuke emergency 
drill in the area. Alexander Cockburn also 
passes on the news that the Israeli army 
has banned Palestinian possession of fax 
machines in the Gaza Strip, apparently 
having learned from the Chinese. (T-20t) 


kkkkk 

OPOUND (50¢ (?) from Subsoil Publi- 
cations, PO Box 364, Spring Grove, MN 
55974-0364): A collection of one-liners 
without much explanation—not that one 
is necessarily needed. A sample: “Love, 
easier done than said” and “Deficity, 
Reagan's shining city on a hill”. (S-2) 

Kk kkk 

THE POWER PACC Nov. 1989 ($1 (?) 
from PO Box 34905, Phoenix, AZ 85067): This one comes from the 
Phoenix Arizona Commodore Club, a users group for a computer 
that is rather often ignored. Most of it is internal club business—who’s 
up to what. what resources they offer, and why the newsletter is 
late. Looks like they have a lot to offer to the user in the area, 
though. (HL-10) 

kak kk 

THE PRAGMATIST Vol. 7 #3 ($12/6 issues from PO Box 392, 
Forest Grove, PA 18922): A newsletter of Libertarian theory, but 
pitched in practical terms and avoiding some of the more abstruse 
intra-movement arguments. Instead, the writers here discuss Hur- 
ricane Hugo, Congressional pay raises, or the situation in Eastern 
Europe, showing how the free market can do things much better 
than coercion and taxation. (S-16t) 


kk kkk 
THE PRAIRIE RAMBLER #148-149 ($1.23 from PO Box 505, 
Claremont, CA 91711-0505): A collection of quotes and quips that 
spans the ages, together with occasional quietly witty commentary 
from editor Jerry B. #148 includes Shaw on Christmas, Vonnegut 
on writing, and Marcus Aurelius on ephemerality. (S-8) : 


kakkk 
PRAKALPANA LITERATURE #14 (4 IRCs from P-40 Nandana 
Park, Calcutta 700034, INDIA): A bilingual (Bengali-English) zine of 
experimental prose-poetry crosscutting literature. Typographic devices 
are important here, as is a feeling that something experimental is 
going on. The zine has grown of late, with reviews and discussion 
of what they’re trying to do becoming more prominent. (D-70t) 


kaekkk 
PRINTER’S INK Vol. 5 #3 (On request from Thomson-Shore, 
PO Box 305, Dexter, MI 48130-0305): This is meant to advertise the 
printing services of Thomson-Shore, who specialize in short-run 
books. But it’s not puffery; they put valuable information into every 
issue. This issue discusses in detail the best way to prepare photos 


for halftoning with modern equipment. (S-4t) 


kk kkk 

PRISON NEWS SERVICE #21 (Donation from PSC Publishers, 
PO Box 5052 Stn. A, Toronto, ONT, M5W 1W4, CANADA): News 
from prisons around the world, collected by a group that is 
apparently dedicated to finding other models for dealing with people. 
Every issue includes as an insert the latest MARIONETTE, the 
newsletter from Marion Prison in the US where some of the worst | 

abuses in the Federal Prison system go on. (HL-16t) 

kkk ; 


PROCESSED WORLD #24 ($12/4 issues from 41 Sutter St. #1829, 
San Francisco, CA 94104): An analytically-oriented, office-centered 





42 Zines 


slick magazine about work. Specifically, it’s about the drawbacks of 
work in a technological society, with their “Tales of Toil” from 
around the area often being rather interesting. They get into wider 
issues as well; AIDS and art are both featured in #24. (S-48t) 


kk kkk 

THE PROJECT Vol. VI #2/3/4 ($25/yr from PO Box 20273, 
Ferndale, MI 48220): This conspiracy Theory journal has recently 
re-evaluated the state of the world and now takes as its thesis “The 
Overt and Covert Organs of the Vatican and British Empire are 
Locked in Mortal Combat for Control of the World.” In addition to 
lots of short items, this special combined issue has Hawthorne 
Abendsen’s 57-page essay “Inside the ’Men’s Club’: Secrets of the 
Patriarchy”. Check out their rare book service too. (S-32) 


kkkkk 

OPROTOCULTURE ADDICTS #6 ($7/4 issues from PO Box 35, 
Stn. Ahuntsic, Montreal, QC, H3L 3N5): An official fanzine for fans 
of Robotech, which (in case you're out of touch with popular culture) 
is a TV series and book and toy and whatnot about interstellar war 
and flexible technology and other stuff. In addition to features 
concentrated on Robotech, they briefly look at other Japanimation. 
Lots of pictures, notes on inconsistencies in episodes, and even an 
article on whether some of this technology is feasible. (S-34) 


ree took 

~~» PSYCHOTRONIC VIDEO #4 ($20/6 issues from Michael if 
‘Weldon, 151 First Ave. Dept PV, New York, NY 10003): All you 
ever wanted to know about the obscure, the gory, and the just 
plain bad movies that are kicking around your video rental store. 
This issue lists the most prolific actors around and then does a 
couple pages on #1: David Carradine. There’s also a continued listing 
of “mondo” films and of course lots of reviews. (S-56t) 


kkk kk 

PSYCHO VIDEO Vol. 1 #3/4 ($2 CASH/MO from Gary Lesley, 
PO Box 7333, Federal Way, WA 98003): A sleazefilm zine that sticks 
to its core business: rating and reviewing movies from the adventure, 
gore and porno shelves. Gary is a tough reviewer, rating films from 
A through F, and taking points off for things other gorehounds 
don’t worry about—like poor acting and incoherent plots. Two pages 
of fanzine reviews wrap up the well-done package. (S-26) 


kk kkk 

OPULPO #7 (75¢ from American Publishing Co., 484 Lake Park 
Ave. #249, Oakland, CA 94610): These guys ask that the zine name 
not appear on their mail. It’s hard to understand the reticence, since 
the zine itself obviously doesn’t give a damn about offending anyone. 
They print a centerfold pinup of one of Ed Gein’s victims, some 
fiction where excrement and mistreating women plays a prominent 
tole, and nasty replies to letters on previous issue. They also review 
pork rind products and have a few pages of comics. (D-24) 


kkkkk 

PULSAR! #15 ($3 from Tony Ubelhor, PO Box 886, Evansville, 
IN 47706-0886): A fine science fiction fanzine that takes the trouble 
to look good. But this is not form over content, for the interiors 
are worthwhile: a short story from Mike Resnick, lots of art from 
Joan Hanke-Woods, an interview with Forry Ackerman, and much 
more. Tony publishes more fan fiction than most SF zinesters, but 
he chooses pretty well, and I always find a story or two to enjoy 
here. (S-50t) 


kkk 

UNKPALS Dec. 1989 (Two 25¢ Stamps from Robert Brown, 
31 Blake St., Berkeley, CA 94704): A pen-pal listing oriented 
towards punks. There’s a dozen or so folks in this issue looking 
for correspondence, from all across the country. Each on lists musical 
tastes as well as general thoughts. Many of these folks are into 
good causes, from animal rights to no nukes to straightedge. Others 

just want to have fun and talk about music. (D-7) 


totoiok 

THE PUSHCART WAR #2-3 (3 25¢ stamps from Frank B., PO 
Box 208, CMU, Pittsburgh, PA 15213): A collection of essays, music 
and zine reviews, and other general articles. There’s an interview 
with long-time newspaper photographer Teenie Harris, an actual 
piece of slag, and “Sex and the Double Word Score” among the 
contents of #2. #3 has good zine reviews and a chat with Lesser 
Apes. A spirited publication reminding me a bit of NANCY'S 
MAGAZINE. (D-24t) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


kk kkk 

PWALIVE Vol. 3 #1 ($5/yr from PO Box 6089, Minneapolis, MN 
55406): “A newsletter by, for and about persons affected with AIDS”, 
The writers here are very concerned that those testing HIV-positive 
not get buffaloed, and that testing remain not just confidential but 
truly anonymous. As a result, they’re critical of some other AIDS 
service groups. But this doesn’t keep PWALIVE from listing all 
manner of contacts and services in their pages; it just keeps them 
taking responsibility for the information they send out. (S_24t) 


kkk 
PYLON #4 ($1 & 2 stamps from PO Box 38236, Germantown, 
TN 38183-0236): There’s a little of a lot of things here. #4 has an 
overview of the animal rights movement, music and fanzine reviews, 
and a couple pages of poetry, They also feature snide horoscopes 
and a very short story. (S-14r) 


wk 


kkk 
~~ QT’S ENTERTAINER #14 ($10/6 issues from 670 Providence St., 


Woonsocket, RI 02895): For those of you looking for real fanzines, 
this is the place to start. Editor Connie Watson tracks down all sorts 
of fan clubs and gives them a chance to hunt new members through 
her pages. Each issue also profiles a particular celebrity and their 
fan clubs; this time it's Tom Jones who gets that honor. (HL-20r) 


kk kkk 

QUEER #10-12 ($1 (?) from PO Box 6013, East Lansing,. MI 
48826): An enigmatic and irregular zine of art and stuff. #10 is 
captioned “Dick’s Birthday Party”, and features an anatomical 
drawing on the front and s few short poems on the back. Stuffed 
with this into the envelope were such things as a feather, a photo, 
and a piece of film. I suspect every copy is different. #12 has one 
collage and one poem. (S-2) 


tok tkokk 

QQUIDNUNC #1 ($2.50 from Clare S. Rosen, PO Box 532, 
Glencoe, IL 60022): All sorts of coll cultural icons rub shoulders in 
this new zine. We’ve got an interview with Dan Clowes, the 
cartoonist behind LLOYD LLEWELLYN, a talk with the musical 
bunch Cheer-Acident, Bill Wrbican being accosted by a bum, poetry, 
and more. Reviews of extreme music, books, and zines are tucked 
away in the back. The nice layout is only mildly hurt by the 
Photocopy problems. Looks like a good start. (S-28t) 


kk kkk 

QUIMBY #19 ($3 from PO Box 281, Astor Stn., Boston, MA 
02123): Well, these guys seem to be refocusing on what they do 
best, which is underground comics guaranteed to upset anyone 
who's edgy about sexual or other bodily functions. They also find 
space for other bits of culture, though, including Mic MicInnis’s 
reviews of magazines and an interview with the band Mindgrinder, 
as well as a selection of photographs from Joel Meunier. There’s 
some exciting and innovative work here these days, as well as some 
bits that still seem focused on easy shocks. (S-56t) 


tok 

RADIO FREE THULCANDRA #19 ($2 or The Usual from Marty 
Helgesen, 11 Lawrence Ave., Malverne, NY 11565): This is a zine 
from “Christian Fandom, an interdenominational fellowship of 
Christians and Science Fiction Fans”. Most of it is letters from 
readers, and a fascinating lot they are. The focus of the discussion 
is on the relationship between SF and Christianity, but it’s not a 
narrow focus by any means. An interesting place for theological and 
fictional debate. (S-56) 


kk kkk 

ORADIUM 226.05 #2 ($10 (?) from Sddra Allégatan 3, 413 01 
Goteborg, SWEDEN; US contact Pat Hollis, Living Color Productions, 
12 Pleasantview Ln., Circle Pines, MN 55014): A fat perfect-bound 
collection of artistic and literary works from the darker reaches of 
the underground. There’s a rant by Lydia Lunch, color prints from 
Joe Coleman (including an eerie self-portrait), an excerpt from 
Burroughs, a print by Jim Thirlwell, and a couple of stories by Jack 
Stevenson—to name a few. Everything seems purposely designed 
to be unsettling, from the scary poetry to the bondage art by Tom 
of Finland and others. (S-104t) 


tokokokk 
THE RAG #12 (Donation from PO Box 3038, Peoria, IL 61614): 
THE RAG started out as a forum for Peorians to express themselves, 
but thanks to publicity her and elsewhere they have a lot of stuff 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


coming in from out of state, including a pile of poetry from Norma 
Lee Edwards and drawings from Mick Cusimano. There’s reviews 
and letters, notes on someone’s couch, plenty of poetry, short-short 
stories, and who knows what else in these pages. (T-12r) 


kkkkk 

RAISED BY WOLVES #2 ($1 CASH/Stamps from Mr. Ed, PO Box 
50454, Austin, TX 78763): This is grim, graphic and deeply affecting. 
The editor has slowly been remembering his childhood sexual abuse 
by his father, and is dealing with it in part by getting it down on 
the printed page in words and drawings. It’s an amazingly personal 
document, and one can only stand back, respect it, and hope it all 
works out sooner or later. (D-20t) 


Kak kk ; 

OTHE RAT #1 ($2.95 from Rich Harvey, PO Box 2196, Stockton 
State College, Pomona, NJ 08240): The Rat is a new pulp hero, 
whose adventures are written and illustrated by Harvey. He has a 
deliciously nostalgic style, with the ex-criminal protagonist and his 
fellow characters being almost caricatures, but with plenty of action 
in the plot. This is backed up by some other short fiction and a 
nice bit of literit, an analysis of the Destroyer novels written by Will 
Murray. (S-28t) 

kakkk 

THE RAT RACE RECORD #6 ($1 from PO Box 1611, Union, NJ 
07083): A journal of essay and opinion. It’s sort of amusing to see 
Bob Black and Daniel Ust duking it out over what anarchism is 
when many in the modern anarchist movement wouldn't accept 
either one of them as a comrade. Editor Conny Jasper writes about 
the advantages of natural food to the harried. Geneva Hagen talks 
about world poverty, and there is a good deal of networking, mostly 
in zine and prisoner addresses. (S-20) 


tk kkk 

REALISTIC LIVING #11 ($10/yr from PO Box 140826, Dallas, TX 
75214): Gene & Joyce Marshall, who publish REALISTIC LIVING 
are interested in rebuilding the world, from a Christian, decentralist, 
ecological, feminist point of view. They’re most concerned with ethics 
and religion and the links between these and other issues. In this 
issue, Gene write an interesting Christian-pagan dialogue in an 
attempt to bridge some of the gaps. (S-16t) 


kakkk 

OREALITY SANDWICH (SASE (?) from Yum Haus c/o Swain, 
PO Box 976, Adelphi, MD 20783): This appears to be a single-page 
newsletter of political satire, though none of the issues are numbered. 
Targets include Jim Bakker, Jesse Helms, and George Bush. One of 
these pages reports the passing of the “American Icons Law”, 
protecting the bald eagle and the Golden Arches as well as the flag 
and other things. Funny and probably libelous in spots. (S-1t) 


kk kkk 
RED HEIFER OFFERING #2 ($4/8 issues from Chris Short, MANC 
Box 9123, Olanthe, KS 66061): A zine from the young Christian 
underground, focused not just (or even mostly) on the music, but 
also on poetry and other literary efforts. They print short essays, 
poems, and reviews of other publications from the same general 
orbit. A very caring and sensitive zine. (HL-12r) 


RELIGION 
TINA #2 ($2 CASH/Stamps/Food Stamps from Osiris Ranebo, PO 
Box 1914, Bellingham, WA 98227-1914): The official newsletter of 
the Church of Tina Chopp, a religion based on vegetable sacrifice 


and snake fondling (further details inside). This issue is full of 
Chinese characters and drug use. They’re also looking to find out 
how to say “Tina Chopp is God” in as many languages as possible; 
drop ‘em a line if you can help out. (D-40t) 





nak kk 

RELIGION WATCH Vol. 5 #2-3 ($17.50/11 issues from Richard 
Cimino, PO Box 652, North Bellmore, NY 11710): Richard surveys 
a whole lot of religious publications every month, and reports on 
trends in this side of the world. #3 leads off with a retrospect of 
the past year’s news, and then moves on to such stories as the 
rising threat of lawsuits against TM and the renewed worries about 
Islam on the part of evangelical Christians. Straightforward and 
useful reporting. (S-10) 


Zines 43 


kk kkk 

THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ALERT Vol. V #10 ($15/yr from 
Coalition for Religious Freedom, 515 Wythe St. #201, Alexandria, 
VA 22314): A newsletter which tracks church and state separation 
issues from the church perspective—that is, they want the 
government to stay the heck out of the churches. Deprogramming 
continues to be a major topic of concern here, with several articles 
in #10 and a useful guide as to the major players in the current 
controversy. Home schooling, Native American peyote use, and 
clergy malpractice also pop up here. (S-16t) ° 


kkk 

THE RELUCTANT FAMULUS #7-8 (The Usual from T.D. Sadler, 
422 W. Maple Ave., Adrian, MI 49221): A bay basic science fiction 
fanzine—which is a good thing, since a lot of people in the field 
have complained about a lack of newcomers the past few years. 
With just over a year of experience Tom is doing a good job. Best 
bets in #7 are the continuing discussions of zines and conventions. 
#8 reviews a bunch of zines and the posthumous Heinlein book, 
and has an interesting consideration of the new Star Trek. I note 
that the letter column seems to be growing; a good sign. (S-42) 


kakkk 

DRESEARCHER Vol. 3 #4 ($30/12 issues from Wiswell Ruffin 
House, PO Box 1449, Temecula, CA 92390): This is put together by 
Michael A. Hoffman II, a prominent revisionist—in this case, one 
who believes that the Holocaust is a hoax (one of Ruffin’s major 
projects is the distribution of the comic TALES OF THE 
HOLOHOAX). This issue reports the savage beating of French 
historian Robert Faurisson, for daring to hold similar views; it also 
has plenty of nasty things to say about Jews and blacks. But 
remember, free speech is for everyone. (S-8t) 


kkkkk 

RESISTANCE #13 ($6/yr from Friends of Durruti, PO Box 790, 
Stn. A, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2N6, CANADA): This one is devoted 
to “covering militant autonomist, anti-imperialist, national liberation, 
feminist and anti-nuclear struggles in advanced capitalist countries”. 
They do this by reprinting communiques from various underground 
and revolutionary groups, chiefly in Europe. This information isn’t 
available anywhere else on this continent, so far as I know—which 
is not to imply that I endorse the groups behind it. (T-16t) 


KKK: 

ROBZINE #14 ($1 from Dancing Fish Press, #2-381 Roncesvalles 
Ave., Toronto, ONT, M6R 2M8, CANADA): This one used to be a 
pretty straightforward skatezine, but with this issue it seems to be 
mutating into an artier, more confusing form. The format is still 
pictures plus handwritten comments from editor Rob, but now 
instead of just skaters it’s smiles and lampshades and deranged 
looking folks. Who knows what's going on here...? (D-16) 


kak kk 
OTHE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SKEPTIC Vol. 7 #3 ($15/yr from PO 
Box 7277, Boulder, CO 80306): A newsletter for a local skeptical 
society, people who get together to affirm the scientific worldview. 
Most of this issue is a report on a recent Creationist lecture, listing 
and laughingat some of the more obviously ludicrous theories. (S-8t) 


kakkk 

ROLLERCOASTER! Vol. X #4 ($30/yr from ACE, PO Box 8226,. 
icago, IL 60680): The slick magazine of the American Coaster 
Enthusiasts, who should be able to send you a brochure & 
membership application for an SASE. The journal is full of articles 
about and fantastic pictures (many in color) of things which you 
couldn’t get me to set foot on. Standing coasters, multiple loops, 
200-foot drops, suspended coasters, indoor coasters...there is a great 
variety these days for the person silly enough to ride them. (S-40t) 


kkkkk 

OROLLER SPORTS REPORT Jan. 1990 ($18/12 issues from Fred 
Argoff, 1800 Ocean Pkwy #B-12, Brooklyn, NY 11223-3075): A zine 
for fans of Roller Derby and the current banked-track sports. Fred 
covers the current business and action as well as printing more 
nostalgic items from the past—I certainly didn’t realize that the sport 
goes back at least 50 years. There’s plenty of room for subscribers 
to get involved in setting the course of the zine, so if you're 
interested, get in touch. (D-16) ; 


kkkkk 











An Zines 


ROUGH DRAFT #38-40 ($5 CASH/6 months from PO Box 6392, 
San Francisco, CA 94101): The San Francisco Cacophony Society is 
a group of folks, apparently of no fixed membership, who plan and 
execute out of the ordinary events. These range from cave exploration 
to street theatre to literary readings to theme parties to X-rated 
dancing. This is their calendar, telling what’s going on and how to 
get involved. (S-2t) 


wkekkk 
RUBBER PUPPY #5 (75¢ from No Joke Publications, PO Box 
, Austin, TX 78763-0454): A zine of strangeness, art, and 
goodies. I enjoyed the hints for the “carefree” (read: slovenly) 
housekeeper and the omnipresent booklet of White Boy poems. 
There are cartoons, reviews of nonexistent books, and poetry by 
Leo Oberst as well. Sorta playful. (D-20t) 


kkkkk 

RUNE #80 ($2 or The Usual from Minn-Stf, PO Box 8297, Lake 
St. Stn., Minneapolis, MN 55408): This club-produced science fiction 
zine continues to look nicer than most of the species that I get. The 
contents are fun too, though perhaps too overtly fannish for 
outsiders—although the hints for a happy move could be used by 
anyone. Interesting letters and an extensive fanzine review column 
stand out. (S-40t) 


Kkkkk 

RURAL NETWORK ADVOCATE #71-72 ($10/yr from Rt. 2 Box 
150B, om Mills, WI 54631): That’s to subscribe to the newsletter; 
membership in the Network itself costs #30 and includes the 
newsletter. RN is a group of single folks either in the backwoods 
or looking to move there, who can get in touch with each other 
via coded profiles to look for partners. Meanwhile, the ADVOCATE 
contains tales of people’s lives and loves, and serves as an 
encouraging sounding board. #72 has an introduction to the network 
from co-ordinator Lois Fields and an interesting piece from a 
long-haul trucker who happens to be female. (S-8) 


kkkkk 

SACA NEWS Vol. 5 #3 ($7 student or $15 non-student/3 issues 
from PO Box 15588, Washington, DC 20003-00588): The Student 
Action Corps for Animals is a support group for high school and 
college students trying to stand up for their own and animals’ rights. 
Their major issue right now is the right to refuse to participate in 
dissection in class, and they have plenty of info they can send out 
to students who are working on this issue. Vegetarianism and anti-fur 
campaigns also appear here, along with lots of networking. (S-12t) 


tok tok 
THE SACRED COW SIG NEWSLETTER Nov./Dec. 1989 ($10/yr 
from Barbara Koksal, 3392 Clemens Dr., St. Charles, MO 63301-4440): 
A no-holds-barred forum for discussion. Subscribers are free to 
submit uncensored work on any subject, and they do. Men’s rights, 
whether the Holocaust happened or not, rape and “asking for it” 
are a few of the hot topics right now. Something to offend everyone. 
(D-211) 
tk kkk 
OTHE SACRED RECORD Dec. 1989 ($5 for information from 
Peyote Way Church of God, Star Route #1 Box 7X, Willcox, AZ 
85643): The Peyote Way Church of God is a small group of serious 
religious seekers who view peyote as a sacrament. Unfortunately, 


ROLLER SPORTS REPORT 


Without going big budget glitzy, we've got the best banked track 
coverage anywhere. Join the most loyal sports fans in the world! 
For more information on RSR and entering subscriptions, write 
to the editor: 


Fred Argoff 
1800 Ocean Pkwy. (#B-12) 
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11223 


..and be sure to mention that you saw this ad 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


they're not of Native American extraction, and so are being harassed 
by the government. This has caused them to develop interesting 
ideas on religious freedom and the war on drugs. (5-6) 


took kk 

SACRIFICIAL STATIC #2-3 ($1.60 from 1430 Willamette #254, 
Eugene, OR 97401): These folks responded to my last review of 
their collection of collages and original ranting at length, Starting 
with “Sir, you are an ass”. After reading their 7-page complaint and 
these two issues, I can only conclude that they are too opaque or 
I'm too shallow to get the point. They'll probably think I’m making 
fun of them here, but the best I can do is quote from their letter, 
listing their themes as “An intuitive exploration of archetypes...world 
out o balance...neurosis...cancer...subconscious mass panic.” (D-20r) 


kk kkk 

SALON Fall 1989 ($10/4 issues from Pat Hartman, 305 W. 
Magnolia #386, Ft. Collins, CO 80521): A “Journal of Aesthetics” 
which does topic issues; this one is on censorship and obscenity. 
They take a broad view of the field, back to the eighteenth century 
and forward to Lenny Bruce and Jane's addiction, with anti-censor- 
ship quotes from prominent folks sprinkled around. I learned a few 
things here and was encouraged to see so much energy fighting for 
our right to publish. (S-50) 


tok kok 

OSALT LICK Vol. IV #1/2 ($6 from 1804 E. 38 1/2 St., Austin, 
TX 78722): A litmag distinguished by the amount of handwork 
(stamps, stickers, hand-drawn lines, a portfolio of work from cover 
artist John Charles Heiser in its own wrapping) as well as its content. 
The latter includes some smoking poems from Robert Trammell, 
baseball works by Paul Shuttleworth, Blaster Al Ackerman drawings, 
ramblings from Gerald Burns, and more. The look and feel of a fine 
limited edition that’s actually worth reading. (S-60t) 


kkkkk 

OSAMMY’S DOT #1 ($1 from Erik Bennett, 1828 Kilbourne Pl. 
NW, WASHINGTON DC 20010): A new literary zine that apparently 
aspires to be interesting rather than slick. They print a couple of 
stories and some line art in this first issue. The most interesting 
Story is untitled and uncredited, a manuscript about being. harassed 
by mysterious men apparently from some sort of spy agency—very 
appropriate to the nation’s capital, I’m sure. It sort of trails off into 
Kafkaesque incomprehensibility. (S-14t) 


took kk 

OSAN JUAN HORSESHOE Vol. 13 #11-12 ($12/yr from 62081 W. 
Oak Grove Rd., Box 913, Montrose, CO 81402): This looks .at first 
glance like your standard boring small-town newspaper, complete 
with lots of ads from local businesses. Well, the ads are real, but 
the rest is anything but boring—it's funny as hell. #11 has a 
“Superhero” theme, with plenty of news (?) about various caped 
and masked avengers. #12 is a Christmas issue, with notes on 
poached reindeer, pre-skiing stretches, heartwarming stories, and 
fractured advertisements. Some of this has got to be local references 
(or else I’m pretty stupid) but the bulk can be enjoyed by anyone 
who likes a good chuckle. (T-28t) 


tok kk 

SASQUATCH #13 (50¢ from The Prime Minister (of Livestock 

and Heavy Machinery), PO Box 126, Milford, ME 04461): A newsletter 

of outrageous humor and opinion. #13 came out just in time for 

Christmas, with a holiday punker dead baby story. In poor taste, 
to say the least. (S-4t) 


te tek tok 
SCAREAPHANALIA #84 (50¢ from Michael Gingold, 55 Nordica 
Dr., Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520): A monthly horror film zine that’s 
been running steadily for ages. #84 looks at the latest in horror film 
books, including a few amusing entries, like the HBO guide which 
rates movies according to the reactions of the Great Unwashed. 
(HL-8r) 
lehiahehetel 
SCIENCE FICTION RANDOMLY #9 ($2 [checks to “Cash”] from 
PO Box 12705, Gainesville, FL 32604-0705): Still plugging along, now 
back under the leadership of the elusive Hawk, this SF zine has a 
good mix. There’s an interview with Libertarian SF author Brad 
Linaweaver, some ruminating on the past year’s politics, and a story 
from Brian Burt that, while a bit reminiscent of Tron with bad guys 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Zines ; 45 


added, is still fun. Overall well-done and cheerful about the world. 
(S-32t) 
tok kkk 

_s.SCHISM #24 (SASE from Janet Janet, PO Box 170715, San 
Francisco, CA 94117): This is the last issue of SCHISM for three 
years, as Janet is joining the Art Strike. It consists of multiple copies 
of an “Art Strike Form”, a reminder list of things one is not supposed 
to do during those “Years Without Art”. (M-12t) 


kkkkk 
SCORE REVIEW #20-21 ($2/4 issues from Crag Hill, 491 Mandana 
Blvd. #3, Oakland, CA 94610): An irregular review of experioddica 
and similar arts, itself experimental in parts. #20, for example, is a 
do-it-yourself review, while #21 takes a serious look at INSTAR, 
trying to explicate this bit of language poetry. (S-2t) 
kkkkk 
SCORE SHEET #29-35 ($2/4 issues from Crag Hill, 491 Mandana 
% Blvd. #3, Oakland, CA 94610): A variety of experimental works are 
presented here, from photographic images to language poetry and 
beyond. Joe Williams in #33 plays almost cruelly with the reader, 
issuing instructions for one piece that cannot be followed. LeRoy 
Gorman presents some vaguely interesting “visual haiku” in #29. 
(S-2) 
: kkk 
SEVERED TALES Vol. 1 #5 ($1.50 from Nocturnal Publications, 
1591 Taylor St. #4, St.. Paul, MN 55104): Two short stories in the 
horror vein, both with prison settings. Roger Dale Trexler’s “A Cut 
Above the Rest” required just a bit too much suspension of disbelief 
for me, but Anke Kriske’s “Inmate” was a great psychological thriller, 
if a bit stomach-turning. A quick way to a few shudders. (D-12t) 


kkkkk 
SEX & DRUGS #4 (50¢ & a stamp from A Non Prophet 
Organization, 302 S. 12th St. #203, Philadelphia, PA 19107): Great 
title, confusing publication. This is the “propaganda” arm of ANPO, 
with music critiques, strange art, ranting and raving and a real 
cynical look back at the decade. (S-12) 


kkekkk 

THE SF CONVENTION REGISTER Winter 1990 ($1.50 & 45¢ 
_ SASE from Erwin S. Strauss, PO Box 3343, Fairfax, VA 22038): An 
5 exhaustive listing of science fiction conventions, which have grown 
in popularity to the point where there are multiple choices on any 
given weekend. Strauss gives all the essential details, including price, 
venue, theme, gusts and so on. He also lists bids for forthcoming 

major cons. An essential SF fan reference. (S-22r) 


% e kaekkk 

| THE SHADOW Dec. 1989/jan. 1990 ($1 CASH from PO Box 
20298, New York, NY 10009): There’s a war going on on the Lower 
East Side, and this paper is in the front lines. The city of New York 
has been pulling out all the stops to get rid of undesireables like 
squatters and the homeless—and they've been fighting back. Clashes 
with the Police are almost routine now, and the squatters have their 
newspaper, their community center, and their plans—at least for the 
moment. An amazing struggle. (T-24t) 


kkk kk 
’ OTHE SHAMAN PAPERS Vol. 1 #1($1.50 in stamps from Wade 
‘ Greyfox, 907 Iroquois Ct., Harrisburg, PA 17109): An introduction 
to the world of shamanism from someone who is modest enough 
not to claim to be one already, but only a student on the path. 
Wade offers some basic definitions, contacts with teaching groups, 
and quotes of interest to the shamanic worldview in this first issue. 
(L-4) 
kkkkk 
SHATTERED WIG REVIEW #4 ($3 from 523 E. 38th St., 
Baltimore, MD 21218): A rather experimental literary magazine, from 
the opening letter from Blaster Al Ackerman to the closing poem 
by Chris Mason, a bag of cards designed to be shuffled before being 
read. Between there is much odd imagery, with sexual references 
not shied away from, poetry, collage, and stories with a political 
point. (HL-74) 
KKKKK 
OSHENANDOAH NEWSLETTER Vol. 16 #9 ($10/yr from 736 W. 
Oklahoma St., Appleton, WI 54914): A monthly newsletter of news 
and notes about native peoples, mostly Native Americans, though 


(for example) there is a piece on Australian Aboriginal affairs in this 
issue as well. They cover everything, from which tribe is fighting 
which battles against the government to bits of social news. No-frills 
and rather unattractive looking, but with a strong editorial voice 
and a proud bearing. (S-22) 


kaekkk 

OSHITFEAST #3-4 ($5 CASH from Asylum Press, GPO Box 50264, 
Melbourne, Vic 3001, AUSTRALIA): Once again this is a zine that 
would not like its name used on the envelope. These folks write 
about anything they can find to groove on: urban folklore, mass 
murderers, comics about Vietnam, celebrities who are into shit, and 
other cheesy stuff. A constant feature is their descriptions of various 
disturbed street people in and around Melbourne. Not, to say the 
least, a sensitive bit of reading. (D-12t) 


took ok 
SHORT FUSE #42 ($1 from Holden, PO Box 90436, Santa Barbara, 
CA 93190-0436): An experimental litmag that’s sort of collaged 
together, allowing each contributor to present works in their.own 
typeface. Especially curious works in #42 include a surprieings 
gut-wrenching untitled technopoem by Jerry Gordon and Philip 
Hughes's look at the role the kumquat has played in history. (S-22) 


kek 
OSHOTGUN NEWS Oct. 1, 1989 ($18/yr from Snell Publishing 
Co., PO Box 669, Hastings, NE 68902): “The Trading Post for anything 
that shoots” comes out 3 times a month, with wall-to-wall classified 
and display ads. You can buy special collectors edition pistols, M1 
replacement parts, ammunition reloading kits, or (for around six 
thousand bucks) a working Gatling gun. Amazing. (T-220t) 


tk kk 
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Vol. 2 #10-12 ($1 from 521 S. Kimbrough, 
Springfield, MO 65806): A relatively new entertainment and 
community events tabloid for the Springfield area. They seem to be 
happy about what they’re doing, and that keeps it fresh, even in 
#12 which has a Christmas theme throughout. Joe Bob Briggs and 
golf lessons are among the unusual regular features. (T-20t) 


: tk kik 
SIGNAL #69 ($30/4 issues from Box 150, FI-15111 Lahti, 
FINLAND): This is normally a pen-pal zine, with thousands of listings 
around the world. But this is a special “1990 Worldwide Club 
Directory” issue, with about 700 listings of clubs and magazines 
directed at those looking for penpals or collectors of various sorts. 
You could spend a long, long time getting in touch with all of these 
people. (D-32t) 
kkk 
OSIGNS OF LIFE #1 ($1.25 CASH from PO Box 365, Canal St. 
Stn., New York, NY 10013): The new publication of the New York 
Direct Action Committee, a group of anarchist-punk youth who are 
seeking to revitalize their scene. There’s perhaps more anarchy than 
music here, although the zine does have interviews with Flux and 
The Apostates. There’s also cruelty-free punk fashion hints, news 
from the East, comics, and a run down on the situation in El 
Salvador. (S-40) 


tk kkk 

OTHE SILVER APPLE BRANCH #2-3 ($2.50 for #2 or $5 for #3 
from Janet P. Reedman, 1036 Hampshire Rd., Victoria, BC, V8S 489, 
CANADA): A literary magazine with a bent towards fantasy. Many 
of the stories here, such as Janet's own “The Luck of Tumelty”, (in 
#3) have a Tokienish mythological cast to them. There are exceptions, 
of course, including Anke Kriske’s fantastic “Closet Space” in #2. 
Denise Dumars and Edward Mycue are among those with poetry 
here, and there is also some artwork thrown in. #3 is a double 
issue. (S-36/S-56) 


kkk 


SKATEZINES 
TRASH ZINE Dec. 1989 (45¢ postage from PO Box 59, Concord, 
MA 01742): A zine of almost all photos of skateboarders, printed 


with a minimum of commentary. Some of these shots are pret 
neat, including the sequence of Kirianne Weaver executing a full 
flip on the board. (D-26) 





46 Zines 


kkkkk 

OSKYWAYS #12 ($4 from World War I Aeroplanes, Inc., 15 
Crescent Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601): “The Journal of the Airplane 
1920-1940” is a well-done production with lots of photos and the 
sort of detail of interest only to true enthusiasts—witness the article 
on airplane wheels in the 1930’s. This issue looks at the possibility 
that the Italians participated in the bombing of Guernica and has 
' some lovely photos of interwar aircraft carriers, as well as an index 
to the first ten issues. (S-80t) 


Kk kkk 
SLINGSHOT Vol. 1 #32 (Donation from 700 Eshleman Hall, 
Berkeley, CA 94720): A militant but sensible anarchist paper that’s 
tackling some of the tough questions of today, both within and 
outside the movement. There’s plenty in this issue about sexism in 
supposedly liberal or radical circles, another thought or two on the 
DOA, and current news. The latter includes the latest deal on 
People’s Park and some hanky-panky at the Berkeley student housing 
co-ops. (T-20t) 
kk kkk 
OSMALL PRESS MONTHLY Vol. 2 #2 (£1 from BM BOZO, 
London WCIN 3XX, ENGLAND): This magazine is affiliated with 
the Small Press Group, a coalition of all manner of small publishers 
who are trying to get into mutual aid. The MONTHLY speaks of 
fairs and mailouts and other goodies, but it’s clear that they’re 
suffering fro the lack of financial and manpower support that plagues 


many grassroots groups. Still, for those looking for news of the | 


English small press, this is a great boon. (A4-12t) 


kkkkk 

SMALL PRESS REVIEW Vol. 21 #10-11 ($18/yr from Dustbooks, 
PO Box 100, Paradise, CA 95967): Over 200 issues old and still going 
strong, this is the first place to look if you want information about 
what's going on in the litmag and associated scenes. They publish 
news of contests and new zines, helpful hints from Merritt Clifton, 
and plenty of reviews (including a regular column from Laurel Speer, 
which in #11 is all about Crad Kilodney). (S-16t) 


kkk kk 
OSMOKE & FIRE NEWS Vol. 4 #2 ($1.25 from PO Box 166, 
Grand Rapids, OH 43522): A publication for those interested in 
“living history”’—getting together with similar folks to live the life 
of a past century for a while. They know of the SCA but their main 
focus is more recent, on Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactments 
and something called “buckskinning”, which seems to mean living 
as a free trapper would have in the early days of white settlement 
on this continent. Lots of news about events and supplies here; 
apparently this is a quite active hobby. (T-16) 
kkk kk 
OTHE SNOPSES GO CAMPING #1 ($1 from Stephanie du Plessis, 
PO Box 4697, San Francisco, CA 94101): The first issue of a serialized 
novel which Stephanie refers to as “seemingly endless”. That's OK, 
because this “white trash” fiction is actually pretty funny, a broad 
satire on Middle America and how it lives, and I’m looking forward 
to future issues. It’s sort of a soap opera from a small Okie town, 


Featuring stories, art ume, 


comics. Qne puck, or the 


last ¥Wo issues 
for $1,75. 


48 Felix St. 


WA 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


and it reminds me a bit of...well, never mind who, they'd kill me 
if they ever found out. (D-20) 


tk kkk 
SNOW COUNTRY Jan. 1990 ($20/yr from PO Box 2072, Harland, 
IA 51593): A slick magazine for those who live at least part of the 
year above the snow line and love it. The major topic here is skiing, 
with how-to tips and notes on equipment. But they also profile a 
family who makes maple syrup, look at ski resort real estate, and 
investigate a palatial mansion in Aspen. Nice magazine design. (S-96t) 


kkk kk 
THE SOCIALIST Dec. 1989 ($5/yr from 5502 W. Adams Blvd., 
Los Angeles, CA 90016): The newsletter of the California branch of 
the Socialist Party. This is better produced than a lot of Socialist 
literature and perhaps has more of a sense of humor. Good coverage 
of international affairs mixes with pieces on what's wrong with 
America today and profiles of party activists. (S-12t) 


Lehteiietetel 

OTHE SODALITY OF HOLY ST BRIDE AND THE COM- 
PANIONS OF ST AELRED (Contact Martin Stewart, Magrathea, 51 
Cambridge Rd, St. Albans, Herts, ALI5LE, UK): This is an apa for 
bisexual men and women, with almost all of the members from the 
UK though there are some elsewhere. This being a rather touchy 
subject, and the apa intended to be a place to relax in understanding 
company, I don’t expect you can just buy a copy. But if you write 
Martin he may be able to fill you in on joining. (A4-40) 


wk kkk 

SOMEPLACE LIKE EARTH #5 ($1 from Chris Caggiano, 1737 
Grove St. #1, Ridgewood, NY 11385): A collection of reprints from 
all over, dealing with mostly political subjects, though there is also 
a long piece on Kevin Varner’s proposed solar energy system. 
Fomenting revolution in the Philippines, international whaling, the 
problems of the Anarchist Switchboard and the list of tapes available 
from Chris are among the contents. (D-24r) 


kkk kk 

SOMETHING SHORT #2 (1 stamp from Daniel Ust, 321 Maple 
St. #49, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861): A short litmag intended “to 
showcase works of dubious talent”. It does accomplish this, with 
the morbidity of the short stories in this issue being enough to 
render them dubious to many people, even those not offended by 
the anti-religious content. But undergrounders will probably like 
them. (S-8) 


kkk kk 

SOURCES #16 ($10/6 issues from PO Box 1076, Columbia, MD 
21044): One of the best places for short New Age and metaphysical 
readings, even if you don’t live in the D.C. area to take advantage 
of the many services and goods advertised here. Consider the range 
in #16: A channeling from Lazaris, setting up a firewalk, natural 
foods, “How We Can Handle the Capricorn Cycle”, Taoist sexual 
alchemy, and the healing power of laughter, just for starters. (S-56t) 


kkkkk 

SOUTHERN LIBERTARIAN MESSENGER Vol. XVIII #6-7 ($6/yr 
from John Harllee, Rte. 10 Box 52A, Florence, SC 29501): A zine of 
Libertarian persuasion that works by printing clips from the 
mainstream press that show the government in a silly or bad light. 
Much of #6 is devoted to the case of Kevin & Patricia Cullinane, 
who were harboring some folks on the underground railway for 
battered women & children when they got busted by all sorts of 
law enforcement personnel. (S-16t) 


kkk kk 

SPACE & TIME #77 ($5 from G. Linzner, 138 W. 70th St. #4B, 
New York, NY 10023-4432): A long-running and lengthy collection 
of speculative fiction: SF, fantasy, a bit of horror. Mary Turzillo’s 
“Jewlly, Erased” is the main attraction of this issue: a tale of a 
strange future, but one where basic human drives still work. Mike 
Hurley’s “Furnace Number Four” is a relatively original horror tale, 
and Marian Allan’s poem “The Ballad of Nell Blaine” is also quite 
good. Lots of other stuff to choose from here as well. (D-118t) 


ttt kk 
OSPECTRUM #10 ($2.75 from Roger Windsor, 58 Webster St., 
Laconia, NH 03246): “The Wholistic News Magazine”, this one 
collects health-related items from all over. Most is presented in short 
bites (a couple of paragraphs) with a reference for more information. 
AIDS therapies, male menopause, Aromatherapy, the Ivory ban, 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


cholesterol, natural foods, and marijuana-related memory loss are 
among the topics in this issue. There’s also a lengthy interview with 
Raphael Ornstein, MD. (S-36t) 


tk kkk 
THE SPIRITUAL REVOLUTIONARY Vol. 1 #9 ($3 from S/R 
Press, PO Box 60327, Palo Alto, CA 94306-0327): Kyle Griffith, editor 
of TSR, is also the author of WAR IN HEAVEN, a channeled work 
with a new slant on 
Life, The Universe, and Everything. The 
newsletter is his way to communicate with other people looking 
into the war between the Theocrats and the Invisible College, and 
the cutting edge of this “radical wing of the New Age movement”. 
It’s basically a letterzine, with comments from readers and responses 
by Kyle and Luna Griffith. (S-20) 


tok kkk 

SPROCKETS #6 ($4.95 from Martin Klug, 7735 Attingham Ln., 
St. Louis, MO 63119): A solid yearly film magazine. This issue has 
a couple of linked pieces on celebrities being stalked by fans and 
other interactions between the famous and the unknown. There’s a 
profile of actress Deborah Foreman with reviews of her movies and 
a whole pile of filmographies for minor stars such as Dyanne Thorne 
and Claudia Jennings. Things wrap up with movie and zine reviews 
and a pile of letters. (D-75r) 


kk kkk 

THE STAMP ACT Fall 1989 ($2 from Steven Bryan Bieler, 7307 
- 6th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98117): Formerly THE RUBBER 
FANZINE, this one has a new name and a new editor but the same 
fine selection of stampagraphic work. This issue includes Al 
Ackerman using a carrot, a lovely postcard from Candi Strecker, 
exuberant dancers by Vivian Jean, and of course Irma. Fun (and 
probably even more fun if you participate). (S-20) 


kkkkk 

STAR ROUTE JOURNAL Vol. 7 #11 ($10/yr from PO Box 1451, 
Redway, CA 95560-1451): A journal of the culture of the Mateel, an 
area in California where the hippies are still holding out, trying to 
do good and live well, while the state of California jackboots through 
searching for dope. Well, that’s one aspect of this paper, anyhow. 
Others are the oral history it contains, the poetry, the comics, the 
silliness, the anarchist manifesto (strictly tongue in cheek), and the 
letters. One of my. favorites. (T-28t) 


, kaekkk 

THE STERLING WEB Vol. 1 #3 ($5.50 from PO Box 38383, 
Tallahassee, FL 32315): A journal of fantastic and horrific short stories 
and poetry. William Gorman’s “Awaiting Marilyn” is a real kick in 
the guts, a powerful short story employing modern mythology and 
a descent into madness. Nikki Patrick presents “The Guys Up The 
Road”, a UFO tale which is much more lighthearted. Mary Elizabeth 
Counselman-Vinyard is the featured poet in this issue. (S-80) 


: eto kk 
THE STEWART REPORT #2-3 (70¢ from Algernon Stewart, 5 
W. 8th St. #317, New York, NY 10011-9001): An apazine escaped 
from the Turbo-Charged ig Animal Apa. Much of it is in the 
form of mailing comments, although Algy does try to make them 
accessible to outsiders. There is also some oblique stuff on his life 
as an actor and a poem in #2. (S-4) 


kkk kk 
OTHE STONE (Free from PO Box 443, Island Pond, VT 05846): 
An evangelical tabloid from a group which apparently originated in 
France but has outposts all over the place now. They seem to be 
trying to build a new church for the final days, although I didn’t 
follow all the ins and outs of their interpretation of Biblical prophecy 
here. What comes through is their strong faith and community. 
(T-32t) 
tk kik 
OTHE STONE & SLING Vol. 1 #4-6 (Donation from Walt Franklin, 
RD2, Box 37, Rexville, NY 14877): Allegany County is poor, rural, 
and underpopulated. What a coincidence that it’s also where our 
state government wants to put a nuclear waste dump. Well, quite 
a number of the residents are fighting back, organizing civil 
disobedience, and trying to put a stop to this. This newsletter 
contains poetry, essays, and artwork addressed to the nuke dump 
issue. (S-12) 


kkkkk 





Zines 47 


STORIES FROM THE WINDOW #2 ($1 from Jay Curkendall, 
741 N. Branciforte, Santa Cruz, CA 95062): A publication of short 
stories and collages, quite well done. I quite enjoyed Jay’s translated 
Uncle Bunny stories in this issue. (They were originally in Spanish, 
being Nicaraguan folklore). Also check out Brian Grimm’s “An Old 
Friend”. A good mix of traditional modes and new ideas. (D-24t) 


kkkkk 

STORM WARNING #13 ($1 from VVAW(Al), 4710 University 
Way NE #1612, Seattle, WA 98105): With the new law against 
flag-burning, Vietnam Veterans Against the War (Anti-Imperialist) 
have found a dramatic issue to focus on in their struggle to defeat 
creeping fascism in Amerikkka (their spelling). They’ve done public 
flag-burnings, and the newsletter has their analysis of this law, 
noting the parallels between forced patriotism here and now and 
what happened in Germany 50 years ago. (D-20t) 


kk kkk 

DSUBJECT TO CHANGE #10 ($2 from 37 Pearson Ave., Toronto, 
ONT, M6R 1G3, CANADA): This is the newsletter of the Toronto 
Resistance Community, a group dedicated to civil disobedience and 
other nonviolent means of opposing the Establishment in Toronto. 
This issue looks back over their first year of operation, and also 
has some interesting thoughts on how the Operation Rescue actions 
fit (or don’t fit) into the spectrum of CD. (S-28t) 


kk kkk 

OSUBJECTS OBJECTS #6 ($7 from Brian Goldberg, c/o Drift 
Distribution, 83 Warren St. #5, New York, NY 10007-1057): An 
“annual journal of cultural theory”, which has now ceased 
publication, though Brian has copies left. It's chewy stuff, ranging 
from an examination of Adorno’s work as a grand theory to 
“Theorizing a Poetics of Resistance: Notes on Kristeva’s Semiotic”. 
Very academic, though occasionally playful, and not directed at the 
unintiated. (HL-88t) 


al to 
= THE SUBTLE JOURNAL OF RAW COINAGE #27-28 (25¢ & a 


“stamp for #27, or 30¢ & a stamp for #28, from Geof Huth, 225 


State St. #451, Schenectady, NY 12305): More collections of newords 
from Geof, who I can just see searching through his mail with a 
butterfly net. #27 is titled “F_LUX” and contains three other terms 
that seem to have an academic sound—is “Spemmen” any more 
alien than “Trochee”? The second issue, “Anthropornology” is a 
dirty mini-poem by John Graywood. (M-4) 
kakkk 

SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE COME TRUE #3 ($1 (?) from 203 E. 
31st St. #311, Austin, TX 78705): A mix of art, music and poetry, 
with an underground SubGenius influence. It comes out of the scene 
but is trying to reach more mainstream folks, although with 
distribution squabbles at the University of Texas this may be tough. 
Anyhow, there’s poetry here from Richard F. Hay and Paul Weinman, 
an article on ska and an interview with ST-37, and some truly bizarre 
art including a great psychedelic autopsy cover. (S-24) 


tok kkk 
SUCCESSFUL MAGAZINE PUBLISHING Nov./Dec. 1989 ($30/6 
issues from Randall Publishing Co., PO Box 2029, Tuscaloosa, AL 
35403): A magazine for folks who put out other magazines—big, . 
slick, colorful magazines. While mainly out of our range, it does 
sometimes contain useful layout ideas and leads to services that 
could help the larger fanzines. (S-64t) 


kkkkk 
SUDS 'N’ STUFF #65 ($10/12 issues from PO Box 566402, 
Oceanside, CA 92056): Christmas issue of the newsletter of Beer 
Drinkers International. It’s a mix of beer reviews, beer news, and 
pictures of unusual bottles and other beeraphanalia. (S-8t) 


kkkkk 
SUGAO #2 ($2 from Max, 2-289 Sekiya-honson-cho, Niigate-shi 
951 JAPAN): A small zine of anarchy and reviews. Max reprints bits 
of Emma Goldman and other classics, and reviews current zines 
and music from both Japan and the US. This is the only place that 
I see live reviews of Japanese shows. A true multilingual zine, 
containing sections in French and German as well as English and 

Japanese. Also has a sticker and other goodies. (M-36) 

kaekkk 
SOTHE SUN TEMPLE JOURNAL Winter 1989 ($4/yr from PO Box 
74296, Los Angeles, CA 90004): A small magazine of Atenism, the 





48 Zines 


ancient monotheistic religion of Egypt. These people seem to be at 
least as serious as the modern Druids in their quest to refound their 
faith. This issue discusses Moses as an Atenite and reprints an article 
on the ethics of veganism. (D-16) 


took ik 

THE SURVIVOR Vol. 7 #7 ($10/12 issues from Atlan Formularies, 
PO Box 327, Harrison, AR 72601): A tabloid put out by Kurt Saxon, 
author of THE POOR MAN’S JAMES BOND and other books. He 
reprints lots of home workshop projects from decades past, but also 
discusses new ideas like a toilet flushed with ground up wood scraps 
and various improvised weapons. From the letters its clear that the 
latter attract most of his readers, but there’s also lots here on eating 
cheaply and getting along after the collapse. (T-16) 


kkkkk 

OSWEAT POTATO #1 ($1 from Fletcher Moore, MTSU PO Box 
8565, Murfreesboro, TN 37132): A new handwritten zine which seems 
to feel that society needs to be interfered with a bit. The first issue 
recommends that all readers go out and superglue the locks of the 
nearest Burger King, and has a long list of antisocial Xmas season 
activities. They also print short fiction, an essay on why people read 
cereal boxes, and other goodies. (D-20) 


kk kkk 
TAPE UPDATE Vol. 2 #13-14 (50¢ from Brian Tramel, 1806 Self 
Cir. #B, Jonesboro, AR 72401): A mini about wrestling, with an eye 
towards those who are into videotapes, since Brian has some 
hundreds of them to sell. #14 also includes the results of the TU 
annual poll. (M-16r) 


tk kk 

TAPROOT #14 ($2.50 from Robert Drake, Burning Press, PO Box 
18817, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118): A special theme issue of this 
experimental language zine called XMECTRIC TEXT. The con- 
tributors were limited to the letters ABCDEHIMOTUVWXYZ (why 
those letters? Who knows?). Many of the pieces here didn’t do much 
more for me than looking at a game of Scrabble, but a few—notably 
Sloy’s “Myth” manage to work within the limits imposed and still 
say something interesting. Nice book design emphasizes the 
uncertain nature of this limited language. (HL-16t) 


wk kk 

OTATTOO GAZETTE Vol. 1 #3 ($4 from Clayton Hats, 161 Essex 
St., New York, NY 10002): Put out by the Tattoo Society of New 
York, this one is all in black and white but striking nonetheless. It 
features a lot of photos, some info on sterilizing tattoo instruments, 
notes on what work is hot, and notes from Society events, as well 
as some interesting material on the spiritual side of tattooing. To 
join and get the magazine as well as admission to monthly meetings 
is $30. (S-32) 


tk 
OTEA TALK Vol. 1 #3 ($3.50 from 419 N. Larchmont Blvd. #225, 
Los Angeles, CA 90004): You might think the subject here is obvious, 
and perhaps it is, but only one page is devoted to discussing actual 
types of tea and their preparation. The rest looks at artistic teapots, 
tea in literature, and places which serve elegant teas in the Los 
Angeles area. (S-8t) 


kkk kk 
TEEN PUNKS IN HEAT #2 ($1.50 & Age Statement [NO 
TRADES] from Roadkill Records, PO Box 37, Prospect Heights, IL 
60070): A sexzine from the punk scene, full of nude photos 
(unfortunately the printing isn’t great) and steamy fantasy (and 
perhaps reality) stories. They also review a few zines, music, and 
porno flicks,, and print a crossword for the dirty-minded. (D-36t) 


kkk kk 

TEMPLE OF SCHLOCK #20 ($1 from Chris Poggiali, 225 Mosley 
Dr., Syracuse, NY 13206): Yes, TOS is back with a new editor and 
a new lease on life, looking at those movies you love to hate. This 
issue has an interview with schlockmeister Terry Levene, plus an 
essay on great monsters like Karloff and Lugosi. They also review 
movies like The Young Cycle Girls and report on the state of 42nd 
Street. (D-12r) 


- tetkokok 
THE TEST BANNER Vol. 2 #7 (Donation from American peace 
Test, PO Box 26725, Las Vegas, NV 89126): These are the folks who 
co-ordinate the big protest events at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site, 
with the goal of achieving a comprehensive test ban treaty. Right 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


now they’re hurting for money to continue this effort. This issue 
has the preliminary plans for this Spring’s actions. (T-8t) 


tok tok 
THE TEXAS SF INQUIRER #30-32 ($7.50/6 issues from PO Box 
9612, Austin, TX 78766): The genzine of the Fandom Association of 
Central Texas is showing some signs of coming back to life under 
the joint editorship of Alexander Slate and Dale Denton. #32 has 
some Worldcon gossip, a few book reviews, and some FACT history, 
among other things. (S-16t) 


kkk 

THIS MONTH IN MAINE LITERATURE Vol. IV #10-11 ($20/yr 
from Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, 19D Mason St., 
Brunswick, ME 04011): The MWPA is a support group for those 
involved in Maine’s writing community. In addition to lots of reviews 
and members prices on books, they publish some feature articles. 
The November issue has a comparative review of legal guides for 
writers and some advice on contract negotiations. December/January 
has marketing ideas for authors. (T-12t) 


kkkkk 

OTHE THOREAU SOCIETY BULLETIN #189 ($20/yr from 156 
Belknap St., Concord, MA 01742): A quarterly newsletter which has 
been coming out for nearly fifty years now, concentrating on the 
life and works of Henry David Thoreau. The articles are generally 
on the scholarly side, though there are also lighter pieces and some 
bits of purely historical interest (such as the obituary of his sister 
reprinted in this issue). Particularly good are the pages looking at 
his influence on such figures as Gandhi and John Hargrave. (S-8r) 


tok tok 
THE THOUGHT Vol. 9 #10-11 ($1 from The Philosophers Guild, 
PO Box 3092, Orange, CA 92665): A collection of essays and articles 
from a variety of independent thinkers, most from somewhere on 
the Libertarian side of things. #11 includes Ron Tobin’s arguments 
against Santa Claus and Robert Bidinotto’s critique of the current 
leadership of the Objectivist movement. (S-22) 


kkk kk 

THOUGHT PARADE #2 ($1 from Lynn Perry, PO Box 1241, 
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054): A collection of essays, poetry and stories 
from folks on the literary margins. Roy Harper tells of a tragedy at 
a rural tollbooth, Sigmund Weiss writes of the broad sweep of 
history, someone using the name “Psycho!” complains about most 
everything from an ultra-cynical point of view. Poets include Lainie 
Duro and Paul Weinman. Quite a wide mix of stuff here. (S-24t) 


kkk kk 

THRUST #35 ($3 from 8217 Langport Terr., Gaithersberg, MD 
20877): A science fiction semiprozine which continues to find opinions 
to enrage and provoke. In #35, the provocations come mainly from 
the right, thanks to an interview with Martin Caidin and the first 
of a new column by Poul Anderson. Ian Watson provides a heroic 
overview of 1988’s published SF, while Charles Sheffield recounts 
his own “Personal Odyssey” in the field. A very enjoyable 
production. (S-32t) 


toto tk 
THUNDERBOW II #4-5 ($15/yr [SASE for sample] from PO Box 


| 185, Wheatridge, CO 80034-0185): A‘no-frills pagan zine with a 


wide-ranging bunch of information. They summarize news stories 
on the state of the planet as well as printing short articles about 
things like Runes or the I Ching. In addition, the parent Church of 
Seven Arrows has a number of courses and activities locally. (S-6) 


took kok 
TICKET Vol. 2 #1 (SASE from 2108A Jefferson Park Ave., 
Charlottesville, VA 22903-3008): Put out by Christopher Martin, this 
one seems to vary in content and intent form issue to issue. #1 is 
very simple: photos of two young people and a dedication wishing 
them a better world in the future. (S-1) 


tok kok 

OTIGHTWIRE Vol. 23 #4 ($10/yr Canadian MO from PO Box 515, 
Kingston, ONT, K7L 4W7, CANADA): A magazine produced 
completely by the women at Canada’s Prison For Women in 
Kingston. The mix of material is pretty wide, from stories, artwork 
and poetry to serious discussions of what's wrong in the prison 
system. Spirits seem to be generally pretty high despite the problems, 
and it’s clear that any support would be well appreciated. (S-52) 


kkkkk 


« 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE Jan. 1990 ($2 from 1310 Chelton Dr., 
Kent, OH 44240): A literary zine that has quite a bit of deadpan 
humor lurking in it as well as travelogues, jokes, comics, and who 
knows what else. The major feature is a long and rambling story 
by Ted Lyons, who is an engaging if somewhat long-winded writer. 
I find I’m liking this more with each passing issue; it tends to grow 
on you. (S-56t) 


kk kkk 
THE TORCH #135 ($7/6 issues from PO Box 373, Harrison, AR 
72601): Odious garbage from the Christian Identity folks. They stand 
firmly opposed to “race-mixing, abortion, homosexuality, illegal aliens 
and Secular Humanism”. This issue is full of gleeful paranoia about 
AIDS killing off all the blacks and notes on why James Earl Ray 
must be innocent. (T-12t) 


kkk kk : 

OTOURIST TRAP ($2 (?) from Kevin, PO Box 1033, Newport, 
RI 02840): This one seems to be rooted in the music scene—there’s 
zine and record reviews and an interview with Hunger Artist in this 
issue—but they’ve branched out. A good chunk of the content is 
about social issues, with an article on factory egg farming and 
another on rape, for example, as well as a piece on global warming. 
They also print art and poetry and are looking to expand their 
literary content. (S-24) 


tok tk 

TRAJECTORIES #5 ($6/4 issues from PO Box 49249, Austin, TX 
78765): Back after a rather long absence, this SF tabloid still has 
plenty of features to choose from. They print short stories, reviews 
(including fanzine ones from FF), letters, comics, and other odds 
and ends. Best bets in this issue include Richard Renfrew’s hard-SF 
“A Collision Course”, the interview with Robert Anton Wilson, and 
the full page of art from Martin Wagner. (T-32t) 


kk kkk 
TRANET #61 ($30/yr from PO Box 567, Rangeley, ME 04970): A 
scan through the world of alternative and appropriate technologies 
with news items from all over the world. Many of these give sources 
and references; you can access a vast network of AT people through 
TRANET. Typical topics include wood stoves, RU-486, the Greens, 
alternative economics, and hand-operated rice hullers. (S-16t) 


tok kkk 

TRANSITIONS ABROAD Jan./Feb. 1990 ($4.50 from 18 Hulst 
Rd., Box 344, Amherst, MA 01004): This is for people who want to 
travel but don’t want to be tourists. They focus on opportunities to 
live, work and study overseas, with plenty of ads from various 
programs in every issue. This time they focus on the Pacific Rim, 
with advice for travelers to Bali, India, Bangkok and Japan, to name 
a few. (S-62t) 


wk kkk 
TRAVEL VIEW ONE Jan./Feb./Mar. 1990 ($4 from Linda Yurkoski, 
PO Box 866, Penticton, BC, V2A 7G1, CANADA): A_ penpal 
newsletter that also features essays and stories from those listed. In 
this issue that includes some ideas on the joys of shortwave radio 
as well as a firsthand view of Bali. Linda also reviews books and 
magazines. Penpal listings are $3, or free for subscribers. (S-14) 


: kkkkk 

THE TRUTH SEEKER Vol. 1 #5 ($4 from PO Box 2832, San 
Diego, CA 92112-2832): This a arabe (over 100 years) 
freethought journal recently had a facelift, and is now a slick-covered 
bimonthly magazine, with each issue focused on a particular topic. 
This time around, it’s mostly drugs and health, from the drug war 
to the evidence that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. They’ve got an 
impressive list of authors and there is quite a bit of information 
here that’s from well off the beaten path. (S-56t) 


kk kkk 
TURNING THE TIDE Vol. Il #1 (50¢ from PO Box 10488, 
Burbank, CA 91510): The newsletter of People Against Racist Terror, 
a group from the music scene trying to get rid of the racists that 
infest parts of it. This issue provides an extensive contact list of 
other anti-racist groups, as well as the latest news from Southern 
California. (S+8) 
Kk kkk 
‘“TWO-FISTED FUCK BEAST #4-5 (SASE from Greg Petix, 1323 
N. Norton, Tucson, AZ 85719): Most of this little zine is not as 
offensive as the title, just...strange. There’s a continuing (although 


Zines 49 


not continuous) post-nuclear cockroach story in the centerfold of 
these two issues. #5 is largely filled by the story “The Sixth 
Dimension”, a romp through a strange bar peopled with unlikely 
characters from history and literature. (D-4r) 


kk kkk 
TWO TON SANTA #40 ($1 from PO Box 303, Durham, NH 
03824): The normal cover price of this is 5¢, but that’s the cost for 
the special edition, which plays Christmas music when opened—the 
first musical zine I’ve received. When the novelty wears off you can 
appreciate the deadpan humor of Dom Leone’s story or the surreal 
poetry of Melissa Jasper. (D-4t) 
kak kk 
TYG #50 ($1 from Paul Gardener, PO Box 97, Brattleboro, VT 
05301): Paul is the US agent for this postal Diplomacy zine, published 
in England by Mark Nelson. In addition to the usual stuff on games 
he’s currently running, Mark publishes quite a few letters that actually 
address strategy and tactics. This issue also features complete rules 
and a map for a Middle Earth variant game and reviews of other 
variants. One of the more ambitious Dipzines I’ve seen. (A5-60r) 


kkk 
UFO Vol. 5 #1 ($5 from 1800 S. Robertson #355, Los Angeles, 
CA 90035): A slick magazine of Ufological research and related 
subjects. This issue has a special section focusing on the Soviet UFO 
sighting reported by Tass. Outside of that, there’s more discussion 
of government disinformation activities in the field, an .extensive 
contact section, and a review of the new movie Communion. (S-48t) 


kkkkk 

U&le Vol. 16 #4 ($20/yr from ITC, 2 Hammarskjold Plaza, New 
York, NY 10017): This juicy oversized pub is in part a way for the 
International Typeface Corporation to show off its wares. But there 
are also useful articles on the ins and outs of typesetting, plus lovely 
large displays of unusual fonts and posters. If you have a ton of 
money to invest they carry ads from all the top computer typesetting 
outfits as well. (O-76t) 


kkk 








50 Zines 


OTHE UNDERGROUND #1-3 (SASE (?) from Scott Russell, 
Asbury College/CPO, Wilmore, KY 40390-1198): There’s some musical 
and other review content here, but this basically is a place for Scott 
to cut loose with opinions from a Christian point of view. Some of 
these, such as his anti-abortion screed in #1, are bound to be 
unpopular; the same goes for his later look at homosexuals. Not a 
zine for those who want to live loose. (L-2) 


tok kkk 

THE UNDERGROUND FILM BULLETIN #9 ($3 from PO Box 
589, New York, NY 10009): Probably the best place around to dip 
into the “cinema of transgression”, films from the shock/revolutionary 
underground in New York City. This issue has an appreciation of 
filmmaker Jack Smith and memories of Lung Leg, both by Nick 
Zedd. Jeri Rossi describes a Joe Coleman performance piece in Boston 
that led to a lot of trouble, and there’s a diatribe (again by Zedd) 
on the “neo-Reactionary” nature of Alyce Wittenstein’s films. Editor 
Orion Jeriko interviews Art Roussimoff to round things out. (S-52) 


tok tok 
THE UNICORN Vol. XIII #2 ($10/yr from The Rowan Tree 
Church, PO Box 5514, Minneapolis, MN 55408): A long-running 
pagan publication overseen in part by Andrius, who happens to be 
a unicorn and who does the lead editorial each issue. #2 features 
the first part of a story, sort of a historical romance, by Donna 
Lyon Rhose, plus letters, herbalism and more. (S-10t) 


tok kkk 

THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH O’ FUN TIMES Vol. 1 #6 (SASE 
from 4326 Woodstock Blvd. #666, Portland, OR 97206-6270): Fun is 
the main force in the universe, at least according to these folks. 
(Incidentally, they ask that you send “whatever's fun” in return for 
a copy). Each issue carries a couple of silly news stories plus letters 
from readers in which the philosophy and meaning of fun is 
discussed. (S-4t) 


tok kkk 
THE UNMENTIONABLE #10 ($1.50 from kelina, PO Box 7718, 
Berkeley, CA 94707): A mix of humor and everyday life, plus a few 
things that don’t seem to quite fit in, like raisins in tomato soup. 
They feature recipes, hobo signs, free things through the mail, a 
rather sardonic personal planner, t-shirt designs, and Kipling poetry 
as part of the stew of this issue. Formerly SOMEOFUS zine. (D-40r) 


d took tk 

UPRIGHT OSTRICH Vol. IX #1 ($3 from PO Box 11691, 
Milwaukee, WI 53211): A conservative journal that occasionally slides 
into conspiracy theory in their efforts to identify and isolate threats 
to the Constitution. This issue has a lot of anti-usury stuff, including 
a look at the good old days when the Catholic Church still enforced 
anti-usury regulations. UO is always a good source of news on the 
various court cases against members of the Constitutionalist 
movement. (S-24t) : 


tok kkk 
OUP YOUR NOSE #1 (20¢ & a stamp from Happydog Productions, 
3609 Kent Dr., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055): A high school under- 
ground that’s mostly in-jokes and attempts to identify “cool” things 
in and around Cumberland Valley High School. Editor Tories writes 
fs fed up with lame articles about lame/fake things and people”. 
(S-2) ; 


tok ktok 

USSR NEWS BRIEF No. 17/18-19/20 1989 ($40/yr from Das Land 
und die Welt, eV, Schwanthalerstrasse 73, 8000 Munchen 2, WEST 
GERMANY): Human rights news from the USSR. Drawing on a 
variety of sources, these folks report on everything from the situation 
of the Crimean Tatars to the fate of those incarcerated in psychiatric 
hospitals. A blow-by-blow description of what remains of the ugly 
side of socialism. (A5-50t) 


tk kkk 

UTNE READER #37 ($18/6 issues from PO Box 1974, Marion, 
OH 43306-2074): It seems to me that perhaps I’ve been too harsh 
on UTNE, due to being misled by their subtitle “The best of the 
alternative press”. For those of us immersed in the alternative press, 
their connection with most of it still seems pretty tenuous. However, 
they do a good job of covering some alternative issues. Here they 
round up~a few articles on growing older and a few on Native 
American problems, together with their short surveys of just a wee 

bit of the alternative press. (S-144t) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


tok k tok 

OUWAP NEWSLETTER #1/2 ($10/yr from Forbes Quadrangle 
3T01, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260): This one comes 
from the fledgling Union of Writers of the African Peoples, a group 
which is bringing together folks from all over that continent as well 
as those living in exile. In addition to organizational matters, they 
list quite a number of events and publications of interest, and bring 
to our attention a case of a poet detained in Malawi for no good 
reason. (S-12t) 


Ket tek 

OVAGINA RODEO #1 ($1 from Peter Mantis, 123 Stonewall #1, 
Memphis, TN 38104): I’m not sure I see how this “Fanzine of Cultural 
Weirdness” differs from all of Peter’s other publications, but here it 
is. It's mostly essays and rants, on such topics as whether women 
control the world and men who get excited over baseball uniforms. 
Sex is a constant theme here, treated with a sort of smirking 
amusement. (D-16r) 


tok tk 
THE VAMPIRE JOURNAL #5 ($5.90 from Baker Street Publica- 
tions, PO Box 994, Metairie, LA 70004): This one is for folks who 
are fascinated by vampires in all their guises. There are news 
clippings, reviews, and original short fiction. There’s also a longish 
article by Peter Heiss, who tracked down various modern blood- 
drinkers, and an interview with Leilah Wendell. (D-142r) 


toto kk 

THE VASSAR SPECTATOR Vol. VIII #1 ($20/yr from PO Box 
279, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601): This one was banned at Vassar last 
year for publishing articles which the liberals on campus found 
offensive, but they’re back now—and as conservative as ever, which 
will probably still strike some as offensive. The main feature here 
is an interview with Robert Bork. I was also interested to note that 
the Vassar student government refused to recognize Future 
Housewives of America as a student group. (T-20t) 


Kkkkk 

VDT NEWS Vol. VI #6 ($87/6 issues from PO Box 1799, Grand 
Central Stn., New York, NY 10163): Every time I read an issue of 
this I want to stop writing for a while. It tracks all the various (and 
often conflicting) research and laws on the health effects of using 
Video Display Terminals on a steady basis, from eyestrain to 
repetitive stress injuries. Every article comes with references, and 
they keep track of all the latest news. (S-12t) 


tok 

OVECTOR #151 ($20/yr from Cy Chauvin, 14248 Wilfred, Detroit, 
MI 48213): Cy is the U.S. agent for this, “The Critical Journal of 
the British Science Fiction Association”. The title describes it well, 
with the bulk of the contents being book reviews, written with an 
eye towards actually saying something. There’s an article by Brian 
Aldiss and an interview with Ramsey Campbell; the new editors are 
trying to extend their net to cover horror as well as SF and fantasy. 
(A4-24t) 


Kok tk 
OVEGETARIAN WORLD Vol. 2 #9 ($6/6 issues from #201 - 102 
Wall St., Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 1N4, CANADA): A collection of 
articles on topics from hazardous waste in the home to the Green 
Party in the U.S. to alternatives to animal testing of cosmetics. They 
reprint material from all over and try to act as a networking center 
for this chunk of the movement. Also on the local level they run 
a recycling project. (D-12t) 
tok ik 
OVERSION 90 #1 ($$10 from 107 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 
02134): A new joint effort by several of the leading lights of the 
Boston small press scene, V90 is a medley of culture and cultural 
critique. It leads off with an interview with the principals of Xexoxial 
Endarchy, touches base with “Dillinger” poet Todd Moore, sits down 
with David Greenberger of DUPLEX PLANET, and follows David 
Prescott through the music scene in Eastern Europe. Andrew Herman 
dissects LIPSTICK TRACES, and there are reviews of some other 
fat zines in the back. Nice layout, good use of photography, a 
potential winner in this impressive perfect-bound format. (S-154t) 
tok kok 
A VERY SMALL MAGAZINE #11 ($1 from Beth Blevins, 1000 
Sixth St. SW, Washington, DC 20024): A mini-sized literary zine 
which tends towards the humorous side of thing. This issue has a 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


well-footnoted story called simply “Plagiarism” and an ad for THE 
STEPFORD HUSBANDS. I like AVSM; it’s bite-sized but contains a 
lot of little gems. (M-16t) 


took ok 

VIEW FROM THE LEDGE #30 (Send clippings to Chuck 
Shepherd, PO Box 57141, Washington, DC 20037): A collection of 
news stories from the “submainstream”. This issue seems to be 
largely devoted to crime and incompetent criminals, from the two 
who broke into a prison to the guy arrested for talking dirty to a 
police dog. Plenty of human foibles here, and lots of reminders that 
civilization is only a. veneer. You can only get on the mailing list 
by sending bizarre stories from your own local papers. (S-4r) 


kk kkk 
OVIEWS Vol. 6 #3-4 ($15/yr from Toronto Photographers 
Workshop, 80 Spadina Ave. #310, Toronto, ONT, M5V_2J3, 
CANADA): A slick little journal of Canadian fine arts photography. 
There’s more criticism than photography here, with reviews of shows, 
thoughts on trying to be a photographer on assignment in Nicaragua, 
and so on. Very nicely put together, (S-16t) 


kkk kk 

DVINCY RIGHTS #1 ($1 from St. Vincent and the Grenadines 
Human Rights Association, PO Box 614, Halifax St., Kingstown, ST 
VINCENT): Another look at police brutality and harsh punishments 
in the Caribbean. They’ve been fighting abuses for about three years, 
but only now have the money to publish. The case of Grafton 
Bascombe, reported here, is only the latest in a series of suspicious 
goings-on in the US-controlled Grenada of today. (S-6t) 


wk k kk 

DVIRGINIA LITERARY REVIEW Vol. XI #2 ($2 (?) from Box 
413, Newcomb Hall Stn., Charlottesville, VA 22901): A student-run 
literary publication that’s not officially affiliated with the University 
of Virginia. There’s some nice work here, including Howard Yoon’s 
scary portrait of an American family “A Drumstick of Burnt Sienna” 
and Nick Yasinski’s contemplative poem “Swimming in Walden”. 
(S-40t) 


tt k tok 

BVIRUS 23 #0 ($3 (?) from Box 46, Red Deer, AB, T4N 5E7, 
CANADA): This is a test run of the zine and they might prefer 
interesting stuff to money. Then again, money never hurts. There’s 
a cyberpunkish feel here, helped along by interviews with William 
Gibson and Jonathan Levine, who helps out at Survival Research 
Laboratories. There’s also reviews of strange music and books, arty 
comics, fiction, poetry, brain machines, magick, and thoughts on 
television from TOPY. A great medley from the edges of reality 
(S-68t) 


keke 

VOICE OF REVOLUTION #80-81 ($15/yr from USMLO, 3942 N. 
Central Ave., Chicago, IL. 60634): I can’t always keep the alphabet 
soup of communist splinter groups in this country straight, but it 
appears that the only society the US Marxist-leninist Organization 
approves of is that of Albania, which may tell cognoscenti something. 
They publish paeans to Albania and stories attacking the collaboration 
between Bush and Gorbachev as bad for the working class. (S-6t) 


kkk 
VOICES FROM SPIRIT Vol. 3 #6 ($4 from Gerald Polley, PO 
Box 5155, Ellsworth, ME 04605): A publication from a group which 
spends time talking to dead people through the miracle o channeling. 
In #6, they get the Virgin Mary on the line, and proceed to ask 
her a bunch of spiritual questions. They also present a variety of 
New Age and magickal texts and essays. (S-8r) 


tok tkt 
VOID! #11 ($2 from J.J. Haws, 208 Catalpa, Lexington, KY 40502): 
A zine from the margins, with a variety of artistic and political 
contents. There’s a cartoon of “Toto and Tu Tu with Tatoo and U2” 
here, a reprint of Bob Black’s speech on the Libertarian as 
Conservative, an old poster from Anti-Authoritarians Anonymous, 
some new comic, poetry, ranting and an open letter to Jesus Christ. 
Also available for the same price is THE BEST OF VOID! 
MAGAZINE 1-10. (S024) 
kkkkk 
THE VOLUNTARYIST #42 ($3 from PO Box 1275, Gramling, SC 
29348): A journal of Libertarian analysis and opinion, although editor 
Carl Watner may not use that term to describe himself any more. 


Zines 51 


The current issue looks at the underground railroad protecting 
mothers and abused children, comparing it to the one used to free 
slaves over a century ago. It also suggests that “Freer is safer” 
when it comes to government regulations. (S-8t) 


tok kek 
OVOX POPULI (50¢ (?) from Jennifer Wiseman, 515 Kendall Ln., 
DeKalb, IL 60115): A collection of short writings, including poetry, 
prose and some things in between. These are pasted down on the 
page every which way, leading to much turning of the zine and 
puzzling things out. Alienation and the modern world seem to be 
popular themes here, with the writers not too sure what they're 
expressing but knowing they don’t like it. Includes one of the 
omnipresent White Boy minibooks. (S-8) 
kk kkk 
WAGE SLAVE WORLD NEWS Vol. 1 #12 ($12/12 issues from 
PO Box 3511, Madison, WI 53704): With a format patterned after 
the most outrageous of the supermarket tabloids, WSWN tries to 
bring forth a few chuckles while looking at the current struggles 
between workers and management. #12 reports on an attempt to 
use Elvis to save the AFL-CIO and traces a current trend to its 
logical conclusion in the hiring of deformed mutants for dangerous 
jobs. (S-4) 
kk kkk 
OWAITING FOR JUSTICE Vol. 1 #1-2 (25¢ postage from Shannon 
Wheeler, 2150 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA 94704): A newsletter for 
those who enjoyed the WAITING FOR JUSTICE book, a collection 
of Shannon Wheeler's cartoons and columns by Carolyn Jones. It’s 
pretty light-hearted, with cute Q&A and some movie reviews. 
Probably the best way to get on the mailing list is to buy the book 
for $4.95 [see FF33 p.72]. (S-4t) 
took tok 
WAKELEY’S REALISMS #3 ($2.50 from 9 Oregon Ave., Palmyra, 
NJ 08065): Personal writings from Joseph Wakeley. It’s hard to know 
precisely where he’s coming from, but this issue is subtitled “An 
Experience With Filipino Women Emmigrating to America”, and it's 
about his being nearly propositioned by someone who wanted to 
get married so as to be able to remain in the country. A bit scattered, 
and a bit sad. (S-5) 


kakkk 
WALK AWAY Vol. 1 #3 ($10/yr from Simon, Porteous & 
Associates, PO Box 589, Great Barrington, MA 01230): A publication 
aimed at those who have walked away from cults, or are at least 
thinking about it. The overall tone is almost evangelical; it consists 
mostly of public testimony by those who were once in the 
mainstream of fundamentalism but have themselves gotten out. They 
also review books of interest, from first-person accounts to scholarly 
analyses. (S-4t) 
Kakkk 
W.A.M.M. Vol. 8 #3-4 ($30/yr from 3255 Hennepin Ave. S, 
Minneapolis, MN 55408): The newsletter of Women Against Military 
Madness, and activist networking group. #4 has some notes on war 
toys and why they are bad plus encouraging thoughts on activism 
now that Gorby has remade part of the world. As always there are 
plenty of calendar and contact notes. (S-8t) 


tet k tok 

THE WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS 
Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($15/yr from American Educational Trust, PO 
Box 53062, Washington, DC 20009): These people were suggesting 
that we should distance ourselves from the government of Israel 
before that became a popular them in the mass media. They cover 
events all over the Mideast, reprinting stories from all over and 
offer their own syntheses of the news. The January issue takes one 
more look at the chances for peace in the Israeli-occupied territories. 
(S-58t) 


tok ktk 

WE ARE THE WEIRD Vol. V #2 ($6/26 issues from Paladin 
Corporation, PO Box 2002, Dallas, TX 75221): This is the Joe Bob 
Briggs newsletter, filled with reviews of screwy movies, reviews of 
other underground stuff like publications and t-shirts, giveaway offers 
and Joe Bob’s own unique personality. Going after prairie dogs with 
an AK-47 may offend some folks, but his readers take it in stride. 
Going weekly, so that price may be low, but itll get you some 
issues anyhow. (T-8t) 








52 Zines 


tok k 
THE WEEDEATER #4 (1 25¢ stamp from USF #3146, Tampa, FL 
33620): A variety of anti-authoritarian news. Some of it is focused 
on the University of Florida, for example, the story on the President's 
new house. But they also present analyses of world events (including 
the “change” in Eastern Europe and the effects of Hurricane Hugo) 
and review a batch of anarchist zines. (S-8r) 


Kk kkk 

OWESLEYAN REVIEW Vol. VII #1-2 ($1 from 5403 Wesleyan 
Station, Middletown, CT 06457): This is Wesleyan’s conservative 
college paper, one of a growing number across the land. They 
feature more serious analysis and less snide one-liners than some 
of the others in the genre. #1 has a lot of support for the war on 
drugs. #2 puts forth a defense of free speech against the current 
attempts to limit thought on campus to acceptable topics. There’s 
lots more in each issue, intelligent if often infuriating to those of 
us on the left. (S-24t) 


kkk 

WE THE PEOPLE #41-42 ($3 from Michael Wolff, PO Box 704, 
S. Houston, TX 77587-0704): An apa for folks who enjoy discussions 
about contemporary politics. Of course, that’s not all that’s here; 
Jim Downard is writing an alternative-history novel as a chunk of 
his contribution, for example, while others talk about retail sales or 
B-2 planes. But the American political scene is the prime topic, with 
views from liberal to ultra-conservative. (S-159) 


kkkkk 
OWHITE MONKEY GOD! (50¢ from Rob Syers, c/o Skin Graft 
Comics, PO Box 738, St. Charles, MO 63382-0738): A violent little 
minicomic, crudely drawn but with a story to warm the heart of 
any youth. Little Jack goes to school and gets abused by the 
teachers—but his big angry dad later helps Jack get his revenge. 

(M-8) 

kkk 
WHOLE EARTH REVIEW #65 ($6 from 27 Gate 5 Road, Sausalito, 
CA 94965): A descendant of the original WHOLE EARTH CATALOG, 
still going strong and investigating all sorts of crazy ideas. In #65 
the main theme is “The Global Teenager”, as they sent a couple 
folks around the world to look at demographics and marketing. But 
they also find time for miracle cures, access to conservatism, and 
rock and roll int he Baltic States—to name just a few bits of the 

information kaleidoscope here. (S-144t) 


kkkkk 

WIND #19 ($2.50 from Quentin R. Howard, RFD Route-1, Box 
809K, Pikeville, KY 41501): A fat litmag that speaks with the voices 
of the country, the backwoods, the hills. Not that the writing here 
is self-consciously ethnic, but it has a small-town, relaxed flavor of 
not being hurried no matter what. The poets and writers who 
Howard publishes seldom if ever appear in the more experimental 
journals I see, but their work here is enjoyable if sometimes a bit 
mundane. (D-118t) 


kk kkk 

WINGSPAN Autumn 1989 (Donation from The Advantage Group, 
220 Broadway #204, Lynnfield, MA 01940): This is part of the 
emerging Mens’ Movement, an attempt by men to change themselves 
to be more whole human beings. It’s got a fairly spiritual viewpoint. 
This issue includes pieces on group massage as a healing experience, 
sweat lodges as a spiritual one, and various mainstream religious 
practices. (T-16t) 


ReteRetel 

WITNESS FOR PEACE NEWSLETTER Vol. 7 #1 ($25/yr from 
250 Lincoln Ave., Syracuse, NY 13204): Witness for Peace is a group 
which is actively working for a better world in Central America, 
putting their bodies into the war zones when necessary to bring 
back the facts. This issue focuses on the upcoming Nicaraguan 
elections. It was the first place I read the news that both the UN 
and OAS observer teams said the registration Process was fair. 
Amazing what the major news media misses. (S-16t) 


tok kkk 
THE WONDERLAND TIMES Vol. 1 #15-Vol. I #1 ($3/5 issues 
from PO Box 20794, Baton Rouge, LA 70894): An alternative college 
paper which flits about a large variety of issues, from the serious 
to the silly. Drug legalization is a particular concern of theirs, and 
they've been running a series on the benefits of legal pot. There’s 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


also some thoughts in #15 on racism and on whether WWIII is on 
the way. #1 has a rational explanation of NORML and why marijuana 
legalization makes sense. (S-8t) 


kok kkk 

WOODSWOMEN NEWS Vol. 8 #1 ($15/yr from Adventure Travel 
for Women, 25 W. Diamond Lake Rd., Minneapolis, MN 55419: 
Woodswomen is a support and training group for women who wish 
to travel, hike, canoe, or climb in the great outdoors. Some of their 
members have gone to Everest or the arctic; others stick closer to 
home, but all get to enjoy life and learn more about their own 
potential. The NEWS lists future activities and has accounts of past 
ones, as well as a general store section. (T-12t) 


tok kkk 
WORDBURGER #9 ($1 from 1107 Alabama St., San Francisco, 
CA 94110): Ranting and raving from Boris, who seems to be pretty 
unsatisfied with the world as it is but without any real strong 
conception of the way it should be. In bits of paper pasted up over 
dark collages he rambles on, now and then coming to a conclusion 
but more often just petering out. Self-expression in its primal form. 
(HL-28) 
tok 
OWORD WAYS Vol. 22 #2-4 ($4 from Faith W. Eckler, Spring 
Valley Road, Morristown, NJ 07960): “The Journal of Recreational 
Linguistics” brought back fond memories of reading LANGUAGE 
ON VACATION for me. The writers here are fascinated by questions 
like how many English words end in -gry or what anagrams can 
be produced from the questions “What is the meaning of life?” I 
could spend an awful lot of nonproductive time with this one. (S-64) 


tok 

WORLD DEMOCRACY NEWS #6 ($10/yr from 260 16th St. #1 
SE, Washington, DC 20003-1552): A publication promoting the idea 
that what we need are more overarching organizations leading 
eventually to a democratic federalism encompassing the entire world. 
With lots of fine print, they track various international organizations 
and groups with similar goals, showing that there;s a lot of activity 
in this oft-ignored area. (S-8t) 


kkk kk 

OWORLDWOMEN NEWS Vol. II #1 ($12/4 issues from Minnesota 
Worldwide Women, 1929 S. 5th St., Minneapolis, MN 55454): A 
quarterly journal of “global feminism”, with this being a special 
issue on reproductive and maternal and child health. There’s an 
excellent lead article on “The International Politics of Reproductive 
Health”, more on sleazy marketing of infant formula, and a firsthand 
account of lesbian parenting. They do an excellent job of drawing 
connections between women everywhere. (S-16t) 


kkkkk 

WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER 11/27/89-1/15/90 ($5/4 
issues from PO Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228); A weekly 
rundown on everything that’s been happening in the world of pro 
wrestling. Editor Dave Meltzer has lots of contacts and must live 
on the phone to cram as much into each issue as he does. December 
4 looks at the decline in Thanksgiving business over the past few 
years. The January 8 issue has a fascinating look on the current 
battle over which companies are going to carry which Pay Per View 
cable wrestling specials—megabucks are on the line here. (S-10r) 


kkk kk 
WRITERS EXCHANGE #13 ($5/yr from PO Box 394, Society Hill, 
SC 29593): A short writer's market and support zine. They run their 
Own poetry contest and print short poems, plus pass on some market 
news and review a few indie music releases. (D-8) 


WRITERS’ MAGAZINES 
SCAVENGER’S NEWSLETTER #70-71 ($5/6 months from janet 
Fox, 519 Ellingwood, Osage City, KS 66523-1329): A place for the 
aspiring writer of fantasy, horror, SF and related genres to find 


out what to do with the stuff once it’s written. SCAV is an 
extensive guide to small-press markets in these fields, listing new 
ones, reviewing old ones, tracking response times and providing 
a forum for editors and writers to communicate. A very important 
link in the network. (D-32r) 





kk kkk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Zines 


oW.W. 1 AERO #125 ($4 from World War 1 Aeroplanes, Inc., 
15 Crescent Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 126010: Not only are. the readers 
and writers here interested in “The Early Aeroplane”, it appears that 
a fair number of them fly the darned things, either renovated or 
reproduced. They print dozens of photos and drawings, plus articles 
on everything from German hex-pattern camouflage to notes on 
making scale models. (S-120) 


kkk 
YAWN #5-7 ($10/yr from PO Box 162, Oakidale, IA 52319): 
Analyses and other writings in support of the Art Strike, including 
a poster on the back of #5 and an interview with Karen Eliot on 
the back of #6. Probably the single place where the most Art Strike 
activity is so far collected, including (in #7) a response to a critical 
essay by Bob Black on the subject. (S-2t) 


kkekkk 
YEAH...SIX BILLION #2 ($1 from 3736 Interlaken Dr., Plano, 
TX 75075): A collection of collages,.cut-ups, and bits of text. If there’s 
an overall theme it’s that of man stuck in an artificial world, trying 
to deal with nebulous concepts of machines and God, and not doing 
too well. Contributors include John Bennett, Stephen Brody, and 
Oberc. (D-20r) c 


kkk kk 
YEAH—WHATEVER #3 ($1 (?) from PO Box 4391, Metuchen, 
NJ 08840): This humorous little zine really cheered me up over the 
holidays. I read it on December 24th, fed up with the Christmas 
hype, and found a dozen little stories about how rotten the whole 
mess was. Coups at the North Pole, diner reviews, nasty O’Henry 
type stories—everything the complete Scrooge could want. (HL-16t) 


tk kkk 

YOUTH CONNECTION Vol. 3 #2 ($5 students in North America 
or $10 others/yr from Terry Inman, 600 DeKalb St. #G10, Auburn, 
AL 36830): The periodical of the Libertarian Student Network is on 
its way from being a newsletter to being an APA, as Terry invites 
other Libertarian student activists to submit pages ready to print. 
This issue includes organizing notes from several campuses as well 
as opinion pieces on topics including sexual freedom and drug 
legalization. (S-12) 


kk kkk 

OYOUTH LIB ‘ZINE #2 ($1 from Still Angry?, PO Box 915, Stn. 
F, Toronto, ONT, M4Y 2N9, CANADA): A zine of children’s 
liberation from an anarchist perspective, Mostly it’s reprints, from 
advice for runaways to reports on court cases where youth have 
challenged their oppressors. A lengthy list of anti-racist groups shows 
that youth are organizing all over. News comes from around the 
world, with an emphasis on Canada. (HL-28r) 


kkk kk 

Z MISCELLANEOUS Vol. 3 #4 ($4 from PO Box 20041, Cherokee 
Stn., New York, NY 10028): A fat litmag. While any given taste will 
find unexciting stretches, there’s always something. laurel Speer’s 
book reviews are consistently interesting. In this issue, I also enjoyed 
Phyllis Jean Green’s story of sailing and poetry from Albert 
Huffstickler and Philip Wexler. And watch each issue for artifacts 
and other “surprises”. As a special offer, until the end of March 
you can send $2 and get a mini-sample, including the winners of 
recent quarterly awards in poetry and fiction, their guidelines and 
a surprise gift. (S-94) 

tk kk 

OTHE ZPG REPORTER 
Vol. 21 #6 ($25/yr from 1400 
Sixteenth St. NW #320, 
Washington, DC 20077): 
The newsletter of Zero 
Population Growth, sent to 
all members of that or- 
ganization. Much, of the 
content is about 


"Willing to tackle all manner of 
controversy... Wildly disturbing... 
May offend..." 

'M. Gunderloy, Factsheet Five 


Pre 


demographics, of course |§ WONDERG AND 


but they also have a large 
amount of environmental 
news. One thing that’s very 
clear from reading this is 
that demography is no easy 
science. (T-8t) 


FrmEes 


$2.50 for 5 Issues. Send to: 
The Wonderland Times 
P.O. Box 20794 
Baton Rouge, LA 70894 





Do you write Strange, Evocative or 
Questionable Poetry, Prose, Stories 
or Comics? 


Do you do Disarming Drawings, 
Subversive Collages, Take Challenging 
Photographs, or Illustrate Shots of Life? 


Do you Write Lyrics that cause people to 
Think, Move, Shrug, Wince or Listen Closely? 


Are you Interested in Connecting with other 
Networkers Here and Overseas, and in 
Presenting your Ideas and being Exposed 

to theirs? 


YES? MAYBE? 


Maybe your work belongs 


For Details CONTACT: SFC - PO Box 147 
Station J, Toronto 


DNIAYD 


WOHs4 d3a3y 
Ol HONVI 





54 Music Zines 





ACTION & DEFIANCE Winter 1990 ($1 from IMWU, PO Box 
1162, San Francisco, CA 94101): Newsletter of the International Music 
Workers Union, a group ae to effect social change using music 
and organizing as their tools. For some of their contacts, like those 
in Argentina or the Phillipines, this is a real challenge. In the states, 
where there is less police repression, they’re busy trying to help 
the homeless via benefits, fight for peoples rights to rock, and 
picketing pay to play clubs. A&D also contains the latest news on 
their differences with the WWMU and others who they see as 
Teactionaries. (D-4r) 


tok kkk 

OACTIONS OF REBIRTH #1 ($2 from Bill, Apostolopoulouu 56, 
Halandri 15231, Athens, GREECE): A new zine of hardcore music 
and political and social issues. Bill tries to set his interviews and 
articles apart by writing about action rather than just problems; for 
example, the rundown on animal rights is full of concrete suggestions 
for cruelty-free living. Some of the bands in this first. issue: 
Spermbirds, Axegrinder, Bolt Thrower and Exit-13. There are also 
Pieces on the Theatre of the Absurd, strange movies (this issue 
focuses in on movies based on Lovecraft works) and more. There 
are pages of dense-packed reviews and lots of graphics. (A4-40r) 


kkk kk 

THE AFFILIATE Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 (#2.50 from Peter Riden, 
4322 Cleroux, Chomeday, laval, Montreal, H7T 2E3, CANADA): A 
music networking zine that sees independent music as a vibrant 
force in the world. Peter invites a number of folks to do columns 
for him, and prints them along with other stuff in colorful format. 
He also lists a great many contacts, including periodicals and 
distributors. It’s not all music; the January issue also includes Ben 
Price’s thoughts on gravity and a test for the heavy drinker. (S-32t) 


tok kkk 
OALCHEMY #3 ($1 (?) from Linc Kinnicutt, 1606 Hampton Ln., 
Safety Harbor, FL 34695): A small collection of music and creativity. 
There are interviews here with Holy Cow and the Pale, plus some 
poetry, a bit of art (including some nice dancing skeletons), and a 
piece on big mountain. (D-20) 


kkk kk 
QANTI-POSER Vol. 1 #7 ($3 CASH/MO from Derek Wills, 5608 
Woodland Bivd., Niagara Falls, ONT, L2G 5K7, CANADA): A music 
zine that’s basically into metal, hardcore, and other loud forms of 
hard music. Much of this is short (1-2 pages) interviews, with bands 
like Prong, Pestilence, Forced Entry, Agnostic Front, and Wargasm. 
There’s also a batch of record reviews and a few other notes. (S-50r) 


kkk 
BACKLASH Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($9/yr from 4128 Fremont Ave. 
N, Seattle, WA 98103): Pacific Northwest music coverage with lots 
of room for the homegrown stuff but some attention outside the 
region as well. December leads off with a fantastic history of the 
coming decade. The January issue has the staff picks and pans for 
the previous year, as well as articles about Gashuffer and The Hit 
Men. They remain committed to cassette as well as LP coverage, 
which is nice. (T-8t) 
Kkkkk 
BAND AGE #3 ($2 (2?) from Edward Dean, PO Box 1651, 
Sacramento, CA 95812): “The Issue That Time Forgot” is a wee bit 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


overdue (about two years) but Edward has not, in fact, stood up 
his advertisers and subscribers. This is mainly music reviews, with 
a few well-done (i.e., avoiding stereotypical questions) interviews: 
Nomeansno, Childsupport, Mad Rover Records, and more. Pretty 
cool, but I expect that this is the last issue. (S-32t) 


kkk kk 
OBANZAI #41-42 ($1 (2) from PO Box 6555, Kansas City, KS 
66106): A monthly metal zine that’s distributed free in the Kansas 
City area. Local bands are the focus of the news and show reviews, 
though the record reviews tend towards the big names. Lizzy Borden 
and King Diamond share the interview page in #41, and the 
continuing “Metal Head” comic is always fun. (T-8t) 


kkk kk 

BEN IS DEAD #7-8 ($1.50 from PO Box 3166, Hollywood, CA 
90028): Hollywood-centered music coverage that tells me more about 
the club scene than anyone else. Besides reviews and interviews 
(Cringer and Green Jello in #7), they have a quite active letters 
column and some socially-conscious articles. They seem to interact 
more with their readers than a lot of other zines. #8 has Capitol 
Punishment, the start of a series on putting on a show, and 
interviews with the editors of JDs and HOMOCORE. (S-40t) 


kkkkk 
BERKELEY SUCKS #2 (Stamps from Jesse Townley, PO Box 
40004, Berkeley, CA 94704): This one is tied into the East Bay punk 
music scene, but not exactly enamored of it. Gossip from the music 
world rubs shoulders with anarchist rants and put-downs of various 
subgenres of punk. A feisty addition to the local music press. (D-24t) 


kkk kk 

THE BIG TAKEOVER #27 ($3.50 from Jack Rabid, 249 Eldridge 
#14, New York, NY 10002): Another mammoth lump of new music 
coverage from the inimitable Jack Rabid, who manages to dig more 
good releases out of the sludge released these days then I would 
have thought possible. There’s also lots of editorial natter, a report 
on the Buzzcocks reunion tour, interviews with Mark Burgess and 
Ed Kuepper, columns...aw, heck, I can’t list it all, A great job, in 
a zine that takes a long time to get through and is one of the 
under-known centers of new music thought. (S-106) 


kkk 

OTHE BIRDCAGE LINER #10 ($5/6 issues from 516 3rd St. NE, 
Massillon, OH 44646): This one is based in the music scene and 
more specifically in the Christian part of that scene, but it does 
branch out a bit. The mini format is utilized well here, filled to the 
brim with reviews and columns and discussion. Besides the records 
and zines, they talk about things from abortion to animal rights. 
Some of the writers cite the Bible as the ultimate authority, but 
they’re not pushy about it. (M-24r) 


tk kkk 
BITCH #25 ($1.75 from San Jose Face, 478 W. Hamilton #164, 
Campbell, CA 95008): This zine about women rockers just keeps 
getting better and better. This issue has Precious Metal, Lady Bo, 
Two Nice Girls, The Pandoras, and Michelle Shocked, among others. 
They review albums and talk about the neglected women of rock 
history. The letters column is also great too. (S-64t) 


Kkkkk 
BLONDIE FANZINE Vol. 2 #5-6 ($1 from Robert S. Robbins, 
1997 Misner Rd., Williamsport, PA 17701): A zine for lovers of 
Debbie Harry and the work she did with Blondie. Most of the pages 
are taken up by digitized/scanned photos, which lose a lot of detail 
in the process. There’s also thoughts about collecting in #5 and a 
reprinted interview from FORUM on sex in #6. (S-12) 


took 
BOSTON ROCK #98 ($15/10 issues from T. Lozaw, PO Box 371, 
New Town Branch, Boston, MA 02258): Local and national music 
coverage with an emphasis on the big indie bands—#98 has Mojo 
Nixon, 24-7 Spyz, and Fairport Convention, for example. It also has 
some local Boston coverage and (for some reason) a special feature 
on New Orleans regional music. (T-24t) 
tok kk 
BRAIN HAZE #3 ($1 from Alvin Tucker, 1476 Jordan Ave., 
Crofton, MD 21114): This one is centered on the local music scene, 


‘though not exclusively so. Besides the scene report and /record 


reviews, they interview a band called Moss Point. The principal of 
the local high school comes in for some nasty remarks, there’s a 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


look at endangered species of teens, and other good stuff. Pretty 
original. (HL-28) 
kk kkk 

B-SIDE Vol. 3 6 ($3 from PO Box 1860, Burlington, NJ 08016): 
Large-format snazzy-looking coverage of your fave college rock 
bands, with lots of pictures. Pop Will Eat Itself, B-52s, Love and 
Rockets, XTC, Lemonheads, and The Pixies are among those gracing 
the December issue. There’s a spotlight on the ROIR label heading 
up the “culture exchange” column, intelligent music reviews, and 
coverage of the 1989 Reading Festival. (O-50t) 


kkk 

BULLSHIT MONTHLY #21-22 (35¢ from 175 5th Ave. #2589, 
New York, NY 10010): A handwritten hardcore punk zine that notes 
it’s “proud to be gay owned and operated”. Mike Bullshit, who puts 
it out, basically writes the whole thing, filling the pages with a mix 
of NY scene gossip, record and zine reviews. He also provides 
addresses of tape traders and a bit of commentary on the scene. 
#22 starts a new comic story and features an interesting look at 
punk bootlegs. (S-8) 


kakkk 

BUZZ #49-50 ($6/6 issues from PO Box 3111, Albany, NY 12203): 
Albany is not exactly the hippest music town in the world but we 
do okay. BUZZ is our homegrown way to keep track of what's 
going on at the clubs, with reviews of those who have passed 
through and schedules for those yet to come. They also review 
records and chat with performers; #49 features Nine Inch Nails, 
Psychedelic Furs, and Winter Hours. #50 has Howard Glassman’s 
top 25 albums of the 80s and lots of big names including Camper 
Van Beethoven, the Front, and Poi Dog Pondering. (S-36t) 


tok 

DCADENCE Vol. 16 #1-2 ($2.50 from Cadence Bldg., Redwood, 
NY 13679): “The Review of Jazz & Blues: Creative Improvised Music”, 
this one is quite a solid effort. The scope of their interest is apparent 
by just looking through the catalog of thousands of records and 
CDs in their fields they have to sell; looks like convenient one-stop 
shopping. The main features in #1 are a long interview with Mel 
Lewis and their 1989 reader's poll results. #2 has more from Mel 
Lewis and a chat with Doc Cheatham. There’s also reviews and an 
article on upgrading older stereo systems. (D-96t) 


kkkkk 

CD REVIEW DIGEST: JAZZ, POPULAR, ETC. Vol. 3 #3 ($10/4 
issues from The Peri Press, PO Box 348, Voorheesville, NY 
12186-0348): This is an archival publication which collects CD reviews 
from a couple of dozen magazines, excerpts them, and cross-indexes 
them. It’s a fast way to check out the range of reviews a CD you're 
interested in has received. Their coverage of indie music is still 
pretty spotty; publications doing CD reviews should get in touch 
about having them excerpted here. (S-90t) 


kkkkk 
CHAIRS MISSING #6 ($2: from Scott Munroe, PO Box 375, 
Fairfield, CT 06430-0375): A cool music zine heavy on the interviews, 
which are printed in tiny print since they’re so exhaustive. This 
issue features a chat with GG Allin as well as more standard 
interviews with American Standard, 76% Uncertain, and Das Damen. 
They also review music, baseball teams, TV shows, and more. (S-42r) 


tok kk 
OCHECKPOINT #2 ($1 (?) from PO Box G, College of the Holy 
Cross, Worcester, MA 01610): This music zine is pretty much all 
interviews, with an emphasis on college bands. In this issue that 
includes Fugazi, the Pixies, Throwing Muses, and Screaming Trees. 
They also have an interesting page of Henry Rollins delivering 
straightforward opinions on a variety of random topics. (T-32) 


kKekkk 
CHEMICAL CASTRATION #6 ($1 from Ben Gilbert, 40 Chase 
St., Newton, MA 02159): The final issue of this noise/electronic- 
oriented music zine. It starts off with a series of letters between 
Ben and musician PBK, addressing the racism or a band covered in 
a previous issue. The other main piece is an interview with Intrinsic 
Action. A few reviews fill out the package. (HL-16r) 


kkekk 
DCHEMICAL WAREARE #4 ($4 from Martin, 40 Thurlow Road, 
Leicester, LE2 1YE, UK): Jointly edited by Martin and Mick (who 
also does POLEMIC), this is a big chunk of indie music coverage 


Music Zines ; 55 


with an eye towards social action and the punk ethos. They feature 
scattered scene reports (including Northern Ireland and Chile) and 
a pretty extensive lineup of interviews, with Youth of Today, Fugazi, 
Stikky and Bigger Than Jesus being a few here. Also, of course, 
lots of reviews and feature articles on things like hunt sabbing. A 
good job. (A4-46r) 
kk kkk 

CHICKEN McFANZINE #3 (50¢ CASH/Stamps from Eric Keenan, 
3740 Stalker Rd., Macedon, NY 14502): A music zine that keeps the 
price down the traditional way, by finding a deal on copying. Eric 
interviews Pressurehead, Bent, and Process of Elimination in #3. He 
also prints a whole mess of zine reviews—and I like his attitude of 
supporting the little guy as well as the giant zines. (D-32) 


Kkkkk 
OCLAD #1 ($1 (?) from 1182 Lindberg Dr., Depford, NJ 08096): 
The title is an acronym for “Crazy Like a Doorknob”, and the part 
of the contents that stands out most is music, including interviews 
with the Dickies and Dee Dee Ramone. But there’s also a defense 
of Mapplethorpe’s art, some comics, notes on modern racism and 


_ “Eulogy to a Rat”. A bit unfocused but each page is well done. 


(0-32) 
kkk kk 

DCULT #3 (IRCs from Livieratos Vageus, Hajopoulou 4-1, 54629 
Salonica, GREECE): A Greek-language music zine with a mixture of 
coverage, both Greek bands and American ones. This issue includes 
More Fiends and the Ramones, as well as many others whose names 
I can’t easily reproduce. There’s also some comics. For some reason 
the only part in English is the ad for a zine from Peru. (A436) 


tk kkk 

THE CUTTING EDGE #70-71 ($1 from Dan Kennedy, 8303 Hilton 
Way, Orlando, FL 32810): This is the best zine about Christian 
Contemporary Music that I know. Not only does Dan write 
intelligent, informative reviews, he also serves as a linking pin for 
the abe field, with lots of notes on other zines and radio shows. 
If 1 wanted to track down anything in the area, this is where ld 
start. A Mike Roe interview is featured in #70. #71 has a Tonio K 
discography and the first part of an interview with The Warning. 
(S-16t) 


kKekkKk 
DAGGER #11 ($2 CASH from Tim Hinely, PO Box 460, Somers 
Point, NJ 08244): A raucous music zine which tends to like the noisy 
stuff. Interviews with Tad, the Texas Instruments, and Antiseen 
ace this issue, along with a pile of reviews. Nothing fancy, no 
frills, but a lot of good underground music. (S-36r) 


kkkkk 
THE DANGEROUS TIMES #15 (50¢ from Josh, 32 Chestnut Hill, 
Greenfield, MA 01301): A minizine of music and social consciousness. 
Short reviews sit in a chockablock collaged layout along with thoughts 
on plastics and Coors beer. An encouraging glimpse into youth 
culture. (M-16) 


kkkkK 

DEAD LETTER #6 ($1 from 7146 Remmet Ave. #120, Canoga 
Park, CA 91303): A zine of hardcore music and social action, with 
anarchy and animal rights up alongisde interviews with Sick of It 
All and Apocalypse. Things are sort of sloppy here, but exuberant, 
and while some of the ideas may seem wrong, at least they’re 
thinking. Includes an interesting flyer on how to do zines cheap. 
(S-24r) : 


kakkk 
ODEAD ZINE #1 ($1 from Steve, PO Box 267, Otisville, MI 
48463): A new music zine that’s pretty basic for its premiere issue. 
There’s an interview with Foolish American Quartet, a couple of 
White Boy poems, and a page of reviews. A page of facts on 
rainforests is thrown in for the benefit of anyone who's not yet 
aware that we have a problem. (S-8) 


és kkkkk 

DDEAR JESUS #36 ($1 from Sam McPheeters, PO Box 1145, 
Cooper Stn., New York, NY 10276): Well, Sam used to put out 
PLAIN TRUTH but the Worldwide Church of God sicced its lawyers 
on him, and he wanted to concentrate on the politics of music more, 
hence the change of titles. The hot interviews this time are with 
Ian MacKaye about Dischord Records and No For An Answer. He 
also talks to Soulside and Hilly from CBGB. It'll be interesting to 








56 Music Zines 


see how the linkage between new music and corporate violence is 
developed in future issues. (S-24t) 


kkkkk 

DIFFERENT DRUMMER #5 ($1.50 from Erin Hooper, 1793 
Weston Cir., Camarillo, CA 93010): A music zine with a strongly 
Christian viewpoint. Most of it is reviews of new releases by Christian 
artists, with a fair number being on tapes and almost none on major 
labels. They also find space for some poetry, a few letters, and one 
or two feature articles, plus a good list of other zines in the same 
general area. (HL-30r) 


: tok 

DIRTY LINEN #27 ($5 from PO Box 66600, Baltimore, MD 
21239-6600): DL stakes out its musical territory as “Folk, Electric 
Folk, Traditional and World Music”. In this issue, that means The 
Bobs, Oyster Band, Kate Bush and of course Fairport Conven- 
tion...among many others. Finnish folk music gets a page, there are 
plenty of live and record reviews (with a special column for CDs) 
and tour schedules for the top performers in the field. A professional 
job. (S-82t) : 


kkk kk 

DISASTER #6 ($2 from PO Box 820, Pasadena, MD 21122): Not 
your average music zine—the major interviews here are with Lisa 
Suckdog (who they take fairly seriously) and Nikki Sudden. There’s 
a ton of music reviews including extensive coverage of the Destroy 
All Music festival, and random notes on the local scene. Not the 
best organized zine in the world, but one with a lot to offer if 
you're not easily offended. (S-40r) 


kkkkk 
DISCORDER Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($15/yr from CITR Radio, Room 
233, 6138 SUB Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 2A5, CANADA): One of 
the best college radio zines around, with the added bonus of giving 
a Canadian view on things. The December issue has chats with the 
Pixies and Robin Hitchcock, plus Bob Mould. There’s also a centerfold 
on Japanese comics and a story about the rats that destroyed political 
correctness. Plenty of reviews and of course a playlist fill out the 
9509 The January issue has a great turn-of-the-century supple- 
_ ment look forward to make your worst paranoid dreams come true. 

(T-36t) 

kkk 
DISCOTEXT Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990 ($1 from 1250 Richards St, 
Vancouver, BC, V6B 3G2, CANADA): Graceland is a nightclub in 
Vancouver, and this is their magazine. Besides talking about what's 
going on at the club, it’s a resource for finding out about local scene 
personalities and artists. They also review dance music that I don’t 

see mentioned in other places. (S-20t) 


kk kkk 
DISILLUSIONED #3 (75¢ from Kevin Estes, 4041 Nicholl Ave., 
Muskegon, MI 49444): A short music zine that’s anxious for more 
stuff to publish. They’ve got a short interview with Boom and the 
Legion of Doom, a page of record reviews, and lots of art. (S-10) 


kkk kk 
DizOlv* #1 (2 stamps from Tomas, 8607 Tuscany #101, Playa 
1 Rey, CA 90293): Sorta strange music coverage that gets off on 
some tangents not often seen, like the quiz to test your hip-hop IQ 
in this issue (I failed). There’s a pretty good pile of interviews and 
features here including River Roses, Frontline Assembly, and Death 
Ride 69, plus live and recorded reviews and some scary art. (D-28r) 


tok kkk 
EAR OF CORN #10 ($1 from PO Box 2143, Stow, OH 44224): 
A midwest-centered music zine that is packed with interviews. Cedar 
Street Sluts, Afterbirth, Nomeansno and the enigmatic Eeyore Power 
Stroll are among those in this issue. They also print lots of poetry 
(with a White Boy insert in this issue) and a few reviews. A solid 
job. (D-32r) 
kkkkk 
EAST COAST URINAL #2 ($1 from Mike Farrell, PO Box 711, 
Salem, VA 24153): The second issue retains the enthusiasm of the 
first one while upgrading the looks considerably. These guys are 
into hardcore music with an eye towards promoting people to get 
off their butts and do something for the scene. Interviews here 
include Wind of Change and Wrecking Crew; there are plenty of 
reviews and some spirited editorial matter as well. (D-34t) 


Kkkkk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


ECHOES 4/89 (10FIM Finnish CASH/IMO from PO Box 93, 
SF-33501 Tampere, FINLAND): A Finnish-language music zine 
devoted to garage bands and those that followed in their footsteps, 
as well as other nostalgic bits of rock. Featured artists in this issue 
include Bill Fury (in a centerfold pinup), Slade, and King Pleasure 
& the Biscuit Boys. Articles, reviews, discographies. (A4-24) 


kok kkk 
OENERGY WASTED #1 ($1 from Dino Hyssen, 6801 Appoline, 
Dearborn, MI 48126): A new punk zine that sticks to the canonical 
features, chiefly interviews and record reviews. There's a great (if 
slightly dated) chat with Lawrence Livermore here as well as an 
interview with Dissent. Nothing too special, but a good first effort. 
(S-18) 


kk kkk 
OEPITAPH #11 ($1.65 from Jeff Cooch, 50 W. Delhi Rd., Ann 
Arbor, MI 48103): A heavy metal zine with this issue featuring an 
interview with Halloween complete with a lovely centerfold poster 
photo (lovely, that is, if you like pics of metalheads grabbing their 
crotches). Other bands in this issue include King Diamond, LA Guns, 
Devastation, and Crimson Glory. Lots of record reviews too. (S-20) 


kkk 

EXPERIMENTAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Vol. V #4 ($3.50 
from PO Box 784, Nicasio, CA 94946): More delightful ideas about 
ways to make harmonious (mostly) sounds. This issue has a fairly 
technical look at the basics of stringed instruments—but that’s 
balanced by a lighthearted investigation of the musical potential of 
rubber balloons. There’s also plans for windwands, a bamboo and 
rubber band contraption that looks quite fun. (S-24) 


kkkkk 

FAT EAR #2 ($1 (?) from KSJS, 1 Washington Sq., San Jose, CA 
95192-0094): The program guide, playlist and general interest zine 
of the radio station at San Jose State University. They’ve done a 
_ job of addressing multiple concerns here, with some hints for 
olks new in town (like a handy transit map), a chat with a professor 
about the university and its problems, and of course reviews and 
interviews. The latter include Wire and Bollock Brothers. (S-32t) 


kk kkk 

FIREZONE #3 ($2 (?) from PO Box 135, Clifton, VA 22024): A 
music fanzine that is centered on U@ (with tour coverage, Amnesty 
International plugs, and so on) but that still devotes a respectable 
amount of space to other artists: REM, The Connells, 10,000 Maniacs, 
and BB King, for example. Their staff is international, with writers 
and editors scattered among Washington, London, Dublin and the 
USSR (the Soviet pop news is quite fascinating). Nice clean desktop 
format and photos make this a looker. (S-50t) 


kkkkk 

FLIPSIDE #63 ($6/4 issues from PO Box 363, Whittier, CA 90608): 
A ton of music from the punk world and nearby plus interesting 
letters and a pile of reviews. This issue includes The Nymphs, 
Shonen Knife, Bootbeast, Hawkwind, Melvins and other hot current 
groups. They seem to be getting somewhat more eclectic as time 
goes on, but they’re still an essential link in the national alternative 
music scene. (S-88t) 


tok kkk 

OFREEZERBURN #1 ($1 from Scott, 105 24th St. W, Bradenton, 
FL 33505): A music zine with a few unusual sections, like the recipe 
column and the legal advice for skateboarders. There’s an interview 
with SNFU and commentary on the state of the scene, plus an 
editorial slamming skinhead posers. Pollution problems and Social 
Distortion rub up against each other here, and maybe provoke some 
thought. (S-18) 


kkkkk 
OTHE GOLDEN ROAD #21 ($4.50 from 484 Lake Park #82, 
Oakland, CA 94610): A thrice-yearly slick-cover zine about the 
Grateful Dead, which may well be the band with the biggest hardcore 
fan following these days. They interview Jerry Garcia and set designer 
Jan Sawka, print set lists from the most recent tour, and generally 
capture the spirit of the Dead and the culture surrounding them. 
(S-54t) 
kk kkk 
GOOD DAY SUNSHINE #52-53 ($10/6 issues from Charles F. 
Rosenay, 397 Edgewood Ave., New Haven, CT 06511): Beatles, 
Beatles and more Beatles—it seems that the group may have more 


ben 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


fans than ever. This zine tracks their activities and fan club stuff, 
as well as the collectors’ market. #53 is a special Paul McCartney 
tour edition, with press conference transcripts, band newsletters, and 
other goodies. (S-40) 


toot 

HEARTSONG REVIEW #7 ($6/2 issues from PO Box 1084, Cottage 
Grove, OR 97424): This is a music review journal which covers a 
particular area exhaustively: that of “New Age Music of the Spirit”. 
Their reviews are well organized and on the longish side, covering 
everything from ancient chants to electronic stuff. There’s also a few 
features, with #7 including an interview with subliminal researcher 
Steve Williamson. (S-56t) 


took tok 
OHEAVY PETTING #3 (50¢ & a stamp from 1231 NE 140th St., 
Seattle, WA 98109): Rather a mishmash, loosely based in the new 
music scene. There’s a long appreciation of the new Fugazi album 
and shorter chats with a couple of lesser-known bands. Netta Jones 
does a story on shooting heroin and Brian Horst chips in a pointless 
scribble masquerading as a comic. (S-16) 


tok kkk 

OHELLO HAPPY TAXPAYERS #8 (50 fr. from Filleau/Cham- 
paloux, BP 261, 33012 Bordeaux Cedex, FRANCE): I don’t know 
why the title to this fat music zine is in English, since the rest is 
in French. There’s a lot of US music content, with Steve Albini and 
Henry Rollins here, as well as a ton of reviews and lots of graphics. 
They seem to have a slant towards the stranger parts of the 
underground and the noisier varieties of music. Includes a free hard 
vinyl EP with Naked Raygun, AC Temple, and other goodies. (A4-82t) 


kk kkk 
DHIJINX #10 ($1 (?) from PO Box 1071, Bloomington, IN 47402): 
This music mag is free around Bloomington, but you'll probably 
have to part with some cash to convince them to mail you a copy. 
They do feature stories on reasonably local bands, intermixed with 
photos and notes from the scene. This issue features Royal Crescent 
Mob, Vixen, and Jot. (S-32t) 


kk kkk 

HIPPIE MONKS IN HERMITAGE #2 (75¢ from 2005 Palo Verde 
Ave. #230, Long Beach, CA 90815): Collage, poetry, short essays 
and music reviews that generally have some religious content but 
avoid being preachy. The Christian worldview seems to at least 
inform the writers here, but they write to communicate, not to 
evangelize, telling simple stories of life or talking about music they 
like. (S-12) 


kkk kk 
HOT STOPS #14 ($2 from Michael Dodson, PO Box 1333, 
mbard, IL 60148): This all-purpose fanzine is back in a new larger 
format, but still with bits of appreciation for a couple of dozen 
bands in all sorts of rocking formats. They feature reader classifieds, 
a page of awful jokes, and lots of SHOUTING that conveys a certain 
urgency. (O-12) 


kkk kk 

DICE ($2.50 from PO Box 3043, Santa Monica, CA 90403): The 
title is an acronym for “International CD Exchange”, and this 
newsletter is devoted to music on CDs. They get into technical 
matters a bit, with a discussion in this issue about “SoundRings” 
and whether they can help CDs sound better. But the bulk of this 
is news about who’s released what lately, what's worth collecting, 
and so on. (S-8r) 


Lftahatatel 

IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE #3 ($1.50 from Dan Werle, 3610 
Deep Haven Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80920): This music zine is 
ceasing publication after one more issue, but #3 should still be 
available as you read this. It sticks pretty closely to the canonical 
contents: interviews, reviews, and live show reports. Groups here 
include Agnostic Front, Beowolf and Libido Boyz. Dan also talks 
with someone from the local SANE/Freeze chapter. (S-44) 


kk kkk 
INCITE! #16 (2 stamps from Tim Alborn, PO Box 649, Cambridge, 
MA 02238): Mostly music coverage, although Tim also prints poetry 
from Richard Hay, printed matter reviews, and notes on his daily 
commute. The Mo-Dettes and Mark Edwards get a page each in 
this issue. Tim has a quiet editorial voice and a very friendly manner; 








Music Zines 57 





one imagines sitting in his living room and just shooting the breeze. 
(D-16t) 
tok toto 

INDEPENDENT GLOBALLY #5 ($1 from Eric Vonk, Lange Haeg 
114, 38853 EJ Ermelo, HOLLAND): A short zine of music from the 
scene, mostly hardcore but getting out into other directions including 
a bit of ska. Interviews with Excel and Lesson of Violence, plus a 
short pile of show and record reviews make up the contents. (A4-14) 


took ok 

IN YER EAR #4 ($5 from 471 Rossland Rd. E, Oshawa, ONT, 
L1G 2X3, CANADA): A fat music zine that has some emphasis on 
Canadian bands and some on garage/psychedelia but still gets around 
the aural map. In this issue, they talk to the Dead Milkmen, Jane’s 
Addiction, Del-Lords, Barrence Whitfield, the Chills, Thee Fourgiven, 
and more. In between they get in some opinion pieces and music 
reviews, and a hard-vinyl Cynics 45 is tucked inside. (S-60t) 


kkkke 

OITZA PUNK ZINE #3 ($1 from Mark Murray, 1675 Vernon St. 
#39, Roseville, CA 95678): One thing that sets this one apart from 
other little photocopied zines is the number of news stories Mark 
reprints—on skinheads, on terrorism, on pollution, and similar hot 
topics. There’s interviews with Necromancy, Exoteracy, 2 Car Family 
and a bunch of other bands, plus a handful of opinion columns and 
some reviews. (D-40r) 


Kk kkk : 

JACKHAMMER POGOSTICK #3 ($2 from Mike Krusewicz, 2136 
W. 22 St., Erie, PA 16502): A music zine which has its hooks into 
both hardcore and rap, giving it a wider spectrum of reviews than 
a lot of things. They also look at other media, with reviews of 
Married With Children and Do The Right Thing in this issue. They 
talk with White Zombie, Nomeansno and Krack and throw a lot of 
record and zine reviews in. (S-42) 


tk kkk 
OJAZZ TIMES Dec. 1989 ($1.90 from 8055 13th St. #312, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910): There’s a magazine for every flavor of music, 
of course, and this fat tabloid is devoted to jazz. They feature current 
news, retrospectives, trivia quizzes and longer feature articles. Frank 
Morgan and Milt Hinton are two of the performers spotlighted in 
this issue. (T-56t) 
kkkkk 
J.D.s #6 ($3 [no checks] from Bruce LaBruce, PO Box 1110, 
Adelaide St. Stn., Toronto, ONT, M5C 2K5, CANADA): The premiere 
homocore zine, combining the exuberance of being young and gay 


58 Music Zines 


with the exuberance of being young and punk. They feature lots of 
reasonably softcore gay porn and pictures, plus music reviews and 
notes on who is and isn’t in the music world. This is a special 
theme issue, with lots of skateboarders getting it on. (HL-52r) 


kkk kk 

JOURNAL OF COUNTRY MUSIC Vol. 13 #1 ($15/4 issues from 
Country Music Foundation, 4 Music Sq. East, Nashville, TN 37203): 
Another specialized music journal, this one aimed (obviously) at fans 
of followers of country artists. They seem to be oriented largely 
towards preserving past greats, though there are current folks here 
as well. #1 includes another installment of the Flatt & Scruggs 
discography and a bit on songs that the composers sold too cheaply. 
(S-58t) 


kkk kk 

KONEXION ROCK #2 ($2 from Luis Espinoza A., Los Varayocs 
No. 253, Zarate - 3ra. Zona, Lina 36, PERU): A real fine-looking 
music zine that’s put together an impressive second issue with an 
international cast. Among the bands they interview are Heimat Los, 
Yeastie Girls, This Mortal Coil and Suicidal Tendencies; overall, they 
incline in a pretty hard direction. I’m impressed with the look. Now 
if only I could read the words... (D-40t) 


kkkkk 

LOWLIFE #16 ($4 from Glen Thrasher, PO Box 8213, Atlanta, 
GA 30306-0213): It’s tough to cram a zine the size of LOWLIFE into 
any one category, but it belongs here better than elsewhere. Although 
the printer apparently ran over the pages with a truck, this is still 
a fine issue. Contrary to the herd, Glen and his folks lead off with 
a ton of reviews (of printed as well as audio matter) and only then 
get into features and articles. A chat with Sue-Ann Harkey and an 
account of the Fourth Destroy All Music Festival stand out. Also 
impressive is the free hard-vinyl EP, with one side full of experiments 
and noise from the likes of Floating Concrete Octopus, the other 
with gentle retro-rock from The Dave and more. A great package, 
stretching the boundaries of underground culture in a lot of 
directions. (S-96t) 
kkkkk 

MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL #79 ($2.50 from PO Box 288, Berkeley, 
CA 94701): A huge slab of punk music and culture, with lots of 
letters, columns, and scene reports to promote communication. #79 
includes a longish article about the dangers of getting involved with 
the Hare Krishnas as well as an interview with Ray from Youth of 
Today. (S-128t) 


kkk 

METAL MELTDOWN #7 ($1.50 from PO Box 824, Severna Park, 
MD 21146): All the coverage of loud fast heavy thrash metal that 
you'll ever need. Interviewed in this issue are Obituary, Desecration, 
Indestroy and a couple of other bands. They also review a ton of 
records (with the print in this section slowly shrinking to match 
mine) and pass on a batch of news and a readers’ choice playlist. 
(S-44) 


Kkkkk 

OMLC Vol. 3 #4 ($4.50 from PO Box 1213, Stn. B, Downsview, 
ONT, M3H 5V6, CANADA): A fanzine devoted to Madonna and 
Madonna collectibles. This issue has some notes on recently-surfaced 
rare and collectors items and what they’re going for, excerpts from 
a promotional interview, and a bit on her latest movie Bloodhounds 
of Broadway. The printing is a bit hard to read in spots, but otherwise 
this is an enthusiastic and good job. (S-18) 


wk kk 
MMMWAHAHAHAHA! ($1 (?) from 4410 Massachusetts Ave. 
NW #191, Washington, DC 20016): Music and social action from the 
nation’s capital. Besides the interviews (Butthole Surfers, the Ex, 
NoMeansNo, Fidelity Jones), they have an opening barrage on 
recycling and later a big section on alcohol and its effects. Slapdash 
but packed. (S-16r) 


kkkkk 
MOSHABLE #5 ($2 from Lars Krogh, Korevej 18H, 9210 Alborg 
50, DENMARK): Hardcore music coverage that concentrates on 
Danish and other European bands but with its eyes open to the 
worldwide scene. In particular this issue has a lengthy South African 
scene report which was quite interesting—a force for social change 
down there we don’t often hear about. For interviews they have 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Letahl Overdose, President Fetch, The Wasted Bunnys, Hard-Ons 
and lots more. (A4-32r) 


Kkkkk 
OMUSIC FOR THE LOVE OF IT Vol. 2 #6 ($2.50 from 67 Parkside 
Dr., Berkeley, CA 94705): This newsletter appears to be directed at 
the serious amateur musician playing in the classical field, whether 
this be string quartet or orchestra. It discusses avoiding stage fright, 
dealing with summer workshops (sort of summer camps for 
musicians) and proper phrasing. A friendly spirit animates it all. 
(S-8t) 
tok kkk 
NEW POSITIVE SANCTIONS #4 ($1 from 103 Downey St., San 
Francisco, CA 94117): A zine of mostly hardcore music, mostly 
covered by interviews. There’s a long talk with Chemical People 
(denying the charges of sexism though not, in my opinion, very 
convincingly) as well as other chats with the likes of Bhang Revival, 
Wrecking Crew, and Agnostic Front. They also find space for reviews 
and a few serious articles, such as co-editor Jessica’s piece on rape 
in this issue. (S-18r) 
kkk 
OTHE NEWSLETTER Vol. 3 #2 (45¢ postage from PO Box 93237, 
Milwaukee, WI 53203): Milwaukee has a fairly active local music 
scene, if this chronicle of its activities is anything to judge by. The 
most fascinating article here was on the annual Trashfest, apparently 
a tradition not unlike NY Scum Rock. Bands featured in more 
reputable stories include Black Eyed Susan, Wild Kingdom, and Big 
Bang Theory. (S-20t) 
tk kkk 
NO IDEA #7 ($2.50 from Var Thelin, PO Box 14636, Gainesville, 
FL 32604-4636): Collectorstuff first: this issue has a hard vinyl record, 
3 songs from Crimpshrine, 2 from Mutley Chix, lots of energy. On 
the chat front, they do those two bands plus Fugazi, Alice Donut, 
Lemonheads and Das Damen. The interviews tend to be wide-ranging 
and wide-open, without just the usual questions. Good review section 
in the back too. A force to be reckoned with, especially if they start 
coming out more often. (S-64t) 


kkk 
THE NOISE #90 ($10/12 issues from Timothy Maxwell, 74 Jamaica 
St., JP, Boston, MA 02130): All the music news and gossip you need 
to know from the Boston scene. Oh yeah, there’s some band articles 
thrown in here too—with folks like Mr. Butch and Cluster in #90. 
They also review music, gigs, videos, whatever. A constant scene 
support. (S-24) 


Kkkkk 
NOISY CONCEPT #1 ($1 from Mike Thain, 621 Bassett Rd., Bay 
Village, OH 44140): Formerly RESTORE zine, this is still a showcase 
for hardcore music and a few other things, like my own sporadic 
“Buried in Fanzines” column and Boris Wordburger’s coverage’ of 
the anarchist festival. This issue features Token Entry, Images, 
Screeching Weasel and Murphy’s Law, plus reviews and other 
goodies. (D-40r) 
kkk kk 
THE NOTE Vol. 4 #5-6 ($1 from 735 1/2 New Hampshire, 
Lawrence, KS 66044): Regional music coverage that has gradually 
branched out to include most all of Kansas. #5 includes a look at 
the area’s rap and hip-hop scenes, as well as a review of their 
previous FACTSHEET FIVE review. #6 has an interview with Bob 
Mould (x-Husker Du) and a section on Russian rock from about 
1980 to the present. (T-24t) 


kkk kk 
NOTE 4 NOTE #6 ($1 (?) from S. Roeser, 2646 1/2 Griffith Park 
Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039): A music zine which covers a lot of 
major label material as well as stuff from the larger indies. Bo 
Diddley, Mary My Hope and a tribute to Elvis are covered here, 
along with a whole pile of record reviews. (S-8) 


kakkk 

THE OBLIGATOR Vol. II #6 ($1 from PO Box 915, Muskegon, 
MI 49443-0915): A zine of Christian music, with some slant towards 
heavy metal but a willingness to try on new things for size. Besides 
the reviews and interviews (Axemaster in this issue) they do some 
articles that are straightforward evangelism. The SF earthquake 
provokes editor Mark Hodges to wonder in this issue whether it’s 
a sign of the impending second coming. (S-12r) 


ot 
—~ 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


kkkkk 

ON SITE #8 ($2/2 issues from Bob Bannister, 230 W. 105th St. 
#5C, New York, NY 10025): Bob has an interesting way of writing 
music reviews; he spends a lot of space on things that warrant it 
and far less on releases he thinks should be blown off. Now this 
may seem obvious, but most of us in the review biz go for the 
same length, more or less, about every record. Other than lots of 
reviews, ranging from unknown indie tapes to major minor college 
radio CDs, there’s an interview with Fish and Roses. (D-28r) 


kkkkk 
OPEN HAND #2 ($1 from Ron, PO Box 20224, Seattle, WA 
98102): A short zine from the Seattle hardcore scene. This issue has 
interviews with Last Gasp and Refuse, and some notes on how to 
set up an all-ages show in the city, complete with prices and phone 
numbers for various venues. They also do nice zine and record 
reviews, the former with cover reproductions. (S-16) 


kak kk 

OPTION #30 ($4 from Sonic Options Network, 2345 Westwood 
Blvd. #2, Los Angeles, CA 90064): With Laurie Anderson on the 
cover and featured inside, this issue will further fuel complaints 
from those who dismiss OPTION as a big, slick, music industry 
sell-out. But they also bring groups like the Flaming Lips, Chris and 
Cosey, and N.W.A. to a much larger audience than they might 
otherwise reach. The continuing examination of the CD explosion 
and the home studio tech column are two other reasons to get a 
copy. Besides, sometimes it’s a nice change to read something big 
and slick. (S-130t) 


kkk tk 
OUTER SHELL #50-51 (SASE from PO Box 7053, St. Petersburg, 
FL 33734): After fifty issues this zine is still going strong, with #50 
being a double-sized issue. It starts off with a longish interview 
with Michael Franano from The Front. Later there’s comics, the 
Foundation for the Love of Rock & Roll, and assorted silliness. #51 


features a Jeff Beck interview. (S-4r) 


kkkkk 
PHILLY ZINE #9 ($1.50 from Sean Gustilo, 101 Princeton Rd., 
Glassboro, NJ 08028): This one is centered on the Philadelphia area 
hardcore scene, though it gets as far afield as Gilman Street and 
New York City, Highlights in this one include an interview with 
Mike Bullshit and one with 24-7 Spyz. Also has pieces on Sticks 
and Stones, Brotherhood, and Sick of It All. (S-36) 


kakkk 
POSITIVELY ENTERTAINMENT & DINING Vol. 13 #11-12 
($15/yr from Crooked Arrow Publishing Company, PO Box 16009, 
Portland, OR 97216): Where to go and what to listen to in the 
Portland area. They. concentrate on both performers and venues, 
with short stories about many local performers and lots intriguing 
ads in every issue. An area calendar wraps the thing up. (1-16t) 


kkkke 
OPOWER PACKER #3 ($1 from Cameron Gillespie, 11216 
Oakwood Dr., Dunkirk, MD 20754): A music zine dedicated to one 
specific genre: power metal, which Cameron goes to some lengths 
to adequately define. This issue is bigger and better than #2, featuring 
Wrathchild America, Solitude Aeturnus, Dead On, Kraze, Leather 
Leone, and more, as well as a batch of record reviews. (S-36) 


kakkk 

OPROFANE EXISTENCE #1 ($1.50 from PO Box 8722, Min- 
neapolis, MN 55408): A punkzine devoted to helping out the scene 
by emphasizing solidarity, independent thought, and anarchy. They 
devote more space to opinion columns and anarchist history than 
they do to music, in fact, though they also print a batch of scene 
reports and an interview with Destroy. Lots of positive — here, 
spilling out into other projects like a distribution service. ( 32t) 


Kaen 
' PUKE & SNOT #2 ($1.25 from Scott Broadhurst, 4201 Cumnor 
Rd., Downers Grove, IL 60515): Music coverage that sticks to metal 
& hardcore sounds. No Empathy, Forbidden and The Plague are 
among the bands here. Scott rates his reviews as either records or 
“wreckords”, a simple but attractive system. Very punk looking. 
(0-24) 

kkk 


Music Zines 59 


RABID Vol. 1 #5 ($1 (?) from Alex, 104 James St., Morristown, 
NJ 07960): RABID has grown quite a bit since the last issue, adding 
a pile of show reviews to all the record reviews. There’s also chats 
with Slint and David Yow (well, at least they’re not the same folks 
I’ve seen interviewed in every other zine) plus a couple of rants 
from Alex. The reviews tend to be pretty blunt, and some people 
get praised at length while others get mercilessly panned. Lots of 
Homestead, Alternative Tentacles, Amphetamine Reptile and similar 
labels. (S-18r) 


kakkk 
RAMBLIN’ WILLIE’S BROADSIDE Vol. 1 #4 (50¢ from PO Box 
642, Winterville, GA 30683): Ramblin’ Willie rambles and plays music 
(I gather folk and blues and rock, but I’m not positive) and when 
not rambling, cranks out this occasional newsletter. This time around 
he takes time to remember the significant events of the 80's, and 
then reviews a local Billy Bragg show and some records and stuff. 
(L-6t) 
KkkKK 
RATBEAT #6/7 ($4 from Room Service, PO Box 361, 00121 
Helsinki, FINLAND): Late again but bigger than ever, this is about 
the only zine I know trying to cover indie music worldwide and 
aggressively distribute worldwide. They've got a tone of music 
reviews, a special section on Seattle music, interviews with Wire 
and Hoodoo Gurus, and more. (T-40t) 


kkkkk 
THE RAVEN #7 ($1.50 from PO Box 295, Schertz, TX 78154): 
This one is a wild mix of music and literature from over the borders. 
Vegetarian cannibals are only a few pages after a longish interview 
with Lisa Suckdog. There’s plenty of short reviews, plus poetry and 
a modest proposal for taking care of a lot of social problems with 
one bold stroke. (S-26) 


kkk 

OREAL LIFE IN A BIG CITY #22-23 ($10/12 issues from Debi 
Dip, 6520 Selma #332, Los Angeles, CA 90028): A music zine that 
seems to have its own format down well. They lead off with a 
major interview—Yard Trauma in #22, The Jakk in #23—before going 
into shorter pieces. Towards the middle the music is broken up with 
the “Strange But Weird” column of humorous invented news. John 
Trubee pokes up with art and poetry towards the end of the zine, 
along with Stubo, the cat with no paws. Nice to see something this 
sure of itself. (S-22) 


kkk kk 
ORIGHTEOUS ROCK #3 ($4/3 issues from Jeff Shipman, 5101 
Gorham Dr., Charlotte, NC 28226): A small zine of Christian music; 
more precisely, of Christian heavy metal. #3 includes an interview 
with Sacred Warrior and another with Majesty, plus a pile of album 
reviews and some reader feedback. (S-16) 


kkk 
ORIVER CITY ROCKS Vol. 2 #22-24 ($2 (?) from PO Box 1208, 
Jeffersonville, IN 47131-1208): A rock and metal zine tabloid that 
puts a full-size centerfold poster in every issue (in #24, for example, 
it’s Faster Pussycat). Their coverage ranges from mega-groups like 
Kiss down to local faves, with an emphasis on folks just breaking 
into the charts. (T-28t) 


kkk kk 

ROCK & ROLL CONFIDENTIAL #73-74 ($24/yr from PO Box 
15052, Long Beach, CA 90815): Dave Marsh is the editor of this 
newsletter of inside rock information. He tends to take on causes 
rather than simply review music; in #73 it’s the question of beer 
company sponsorship and use of music in commercials. But he’s 
also most active on opposing the PMRC and other censor wannabes, 
and there is plenty of news. about new mainstream music. (S-8t) 


kkk 
ROGUE'S GALLERY #11 ($1 from PO Box 480892, Los Angeles, 
CA 90048): A music zine dedicated to Celtic, folky sounds (though 
they branch out to peek at things like world beat occasionally). This 
issue is pretty much all reviews, with Robin Williamson, Gone to 
Earth, and Liz Carroll among those featured. (D-16t) : 


kkk 
ROX Vol. 2 #6-7 ($15/yr from PO Box 471, Reistertown, MD 
21136-0471): A music tabloid that covers groups either coming from 
or playing in the Baltimore and DC areas. Featured in #6 are Voi 
Vod, Convicted, Lillian Axe, and more. They also profile local label 





SEVEN: Scat Records Quarterly 


Seven is a bagazine. That means it comes in 
a bag, you doofus. Rather than have all the 
=) writing and whatnot in a coherent format, 
uaa We prefer to confuse you by separating the 
different pieces into their own respective. pamphlets and 
booklets. After we've made all these things nice and pretty, 
we throw it all in a bag. Get it? Seven focuses on the 7" 
single, which is alive and well in 1990, no matter what the 
major labels want you to think. Regular features include: a 
7" single with every issue, the Misogynist (an advice column 
for sadists), fiction, 7" reviews, toys, and much shameless 
self-promotion. And it always comes out on time because 
we're the most anal folks you'd ever care to meet. 






J NUMBER ONE (Winter '89/"90, Scat 






\- 


Hell, warped tales by Christopher Marec, 
plastic ants, surreal photography, and graphics to die for. 
Limited edition of 800, few remain. 






Five): Hot off the presses, bubba. Features: 


\ 


Fraser Sims, toys, a "Scat Lady" balloon, 


commentary on the 7" biz, and plenty of other wicked 
crapola that you'd be a fool not to kill your next door 


neighbor for. Limited edition of 1000. 


a 
Single issues: $Sppd. Subscriptions (1 year/4 issues): $15. 


Write for free Scatalog, which includes releases by other 


Cleveland labels in addition to our own releases. 





= SCAT RECORDS 
PO BOX 141161 » CLEVELAND OH 44114 






Music Zines 


Four): Debut issue includes a Ghost Sonata 
sea 7" and interview, actual money to spend in. 


NUMBER TWO (Spring '90, Scat 


sg Starvation Army 7” and interview, fiction by 


. Making New York punk a better scene, 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Calvert Street Records and list tour dates for the future. #7 has 
Wrathchild America, Deanna Bogart, and Bad Brains. (T-32t) 


tk kkk 

S&S FANZINE #2 ($1 from University of Florida, 18-0235 
Rawlings, Gainesville, FL 32612-1801): The full name of this zine is 
SHIT & SHINOLA, but they’re not using that on the outside of 
the envelope and you probably shouldn’t either. They review a 
bunch of live shows and records, editorialize on matters of student 
interest (drinking habits, over-18, shows) and run a few interviews. 
Most notable are those with Alien Sex Fiend and Love and Rockets. 
(S-20) 


Kk kk - 

OSCATTER BALANCE #1 (50¢ from PO Box 57549, Los Angeles, 
CA 90057): A poster-sized fanzine on cardstock, lending it a certain 
air of semi-permanence, like a theater lobby card. The major piece 
here is a look at the new music scene in Tokyo, in the form of an 
eyewitness report, with a few photographs. There’s also a poem 
called “Levi chili” which I do not understand. The back has some 
music reviews and scene commentary. (O-2r) 


kkk 

OSEVEN #1 ($4.50 from Scat Records, PO Box 141161, Cleveland, 
OH 44114): A new quarterly for people who appreciate and want 
to promote the seven-inch record. It comes in a bag, with some 
mini-stories, a photo print, a poker chip, plastic ants, and of course 
a seven-inch record. In this premiere issue it’s from Ghost Sonata, 
a sort of Zeppelinish outfit. There’s also an interview with them, 
and another pamphlet of record reviews, and the Scat Records 
catalog. A labor of love that turned out well. (Various) 


kkkkk 

SICK TEEN #16 (49¢ from PO Box 918, Green Bay, WI 54305): 
Grab the magnifying glass, Martha, the new SICK TEEN is out. 
Role model of countless crazed collage layouts, it’s still churning 
out opinionated words about punk rock and orbiting genres of music. 
This time around the Rev. Norb lists a bunch of hated bands worth 
listening to (like the Knack) and a bunch of overrated bands (like 
Big Black). He’s sure to lose friends over this. There’s also a hilarious 
Metallica interview and of course lots of reviews. (D-16r) 


kk kkk 
OSKUDGE FANZINE #2 ($1 & 2 stamps from Mike Lupica, 15-B 
Andover Cir., Princeton, NJ 08540): Your basic fanzine with live 
reviews, band photos (done pretty well thanks to Jim Testa), record 
reviews and interviews. The latter include Murphy’s Law, Rednecks 
In Pain, and Chemical People. Mike is excited by the scene and 
that’s infectious. (S-20t) 


tok 

SKULL SESSION #11 ($1 from Brad Mitchell, 3187 Keynes Ct., 
Mississauga, ONT, L5N 227, CANADA): Most of this zine is music 
interviews, with folks like DOA and The Libido Boys. The questions 
tend to be rude and crude, but they’re overshadowed by the horribly 
misogynistic sexist comic strip in the middle. On the other hand, 
the altered “Poser & Hobbes” comics later on are amusing despite 
themselves. (S-30) 


tokkokk 
SLAUGHTERHOUSE #3 (Free from 21370 Pine Ridge Ave., Apple 
Valley, CA 92307): A Christian music zine with a decidedly punk 
look, lots of skeletons behind the Biblical verses. This issue ranges 
from an interview with Torn Flesh to a long article on the use of 
fetal byproducts in cosmetics. Plenty of contacts, some evangelism, 
and a hefty dose of music reviews. (S-18) . 


kk kkk 
SLUG & LETTUCE #12 (1 stamp from Chris, 30 Newport Pkwy. 
#409, Jersey City, NJ 07310): A single-sheeter of punk rock and 
associated topics, laid out over band photos that photocopy pretty 
well. This issue is all short reviews of records and zines, some of 
them sort of old since he’s cleaning out his files. He promises more 
regular issues in the future. (S-2r) 


; kkk kk 
' OSMASHIN THROUGH #3 ($1.50 from PO Box 1014, Yonkers, 
NY 10704): On the plus side, this zine seems to be really into 
and they’re trying to break 
«down some barriers between various tendencies. Interviews with 
Born Against, Hogan’s Heros and Supertouch come off well. But 
on the design side...well, look guys, you don’t print an interview 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


in 8-point outline font dot-matrix type if you want anyone to read 
it! (S-18) 


kkkkk 
SONGTALK Vol. 2 #12 ($35/yr from NAS, 6381 Hollywood Blvd. 
#780, Hollywood, CA 90028): This tabloid comes with membership 
in the National Academy of Songwriters; that’s the non-songwriting 
industry rate. Most of it is interviews with pretty big names: Rickie 
Lee Jones, B-52s (who prove that you don’t have to have a clue to 
write a song), Harry Nilsson and Joan Baez are among the performers 
in this issue. There’s also a tribute to ASCAP and the NAS pick of 

the top 25 albums of the 80s. (T-48t) 


kkkkk 
SORTE ROSE #11 (Available for “A nice letter” from Jakob, 
Helgolandsgade 7A, 2, 9000 Aalborg, DENMARK): Though generally 
a music zine, this issue is almost all artwork, thanks (apparently) 
to a budget crunch. Jakob gets in a few pages of nice band photos, 
plus a “Vote for Nobody” page, some arty type comics, and (at 
least in my copy) a lovely full-size “Boycott McDonalds” poster. 
(A4-14) 


tok tk tok 

SOUND CHOICE #13 ($10/4 issues from PO Box 1251, Ojai, CA 
93023): Independent music coverage with wide-ranging interests. 
Their introductory “News and Notes” section really stands out, with 
all sorts of interesting facts and gossip from the indie music world. 
They also sort their music reviews by genre, which is useful. Special 
features in this issue include an interview with Kramer and a 
reprinted Robert Anton Wilson article on brain machines. (S-94t) 


kk kkk 

SPEW & REVIEW #37 (31¢ from Bob Konshak, 422 4th St. SE, 
Minneapolis, MN 55414): Well, this single-sheeter is as much about 
music as it is about anything else. There’s satanic collage, fun poked 
at celebrities, the top ten singles of last year, and an open letter to 
Elvis here. The printing on this issue is atrocious, though. (S-2) 


kkkkk 

SPUN #45-46 (75¢ from Doug Chapel Comics, 38 Reservoir St., 
Holden, MA 01520): Doug mostly does comics, and this one still 
has plenty of drawings in the margins, but it’s nominally his music 
zine. Every issue includes some music and zine reviews, as well as 
a few pages of what-not and ads for other DCC projects. #45 has 
a Jim Thirlwell. review, while #46 covers the North Brooklyn Small 
Press Convention. (D-8) 


kk kkk 

STEPPINGSTONE Vol. 1 #23-24 ($15/12 issues from Baby Faze 

Productions, PO Box 4264, San Francisco, CA 94101): A music zine 

made up by reprinting press releases from various bands, as well 

as a bit of news. While the bands may like this (after all, if their 

own press release doesn’t show them in the best possible light, who 
will?), it doesn’t exactly make for exciting reading. (D-20r) 


kkk kk 
OSTEP UP #1 ($1.50 from Ryan, PO Box 284, Beach Grove, IN 
46107): A new entry in the hardcore fanzine arena, that packs a 
reasonable punch in its first issue. Interviews with Sockeye, 
Brotherhood, Release and-more are the main feature. There are also 
reviews plus opinion columns defending straightedge and 
vegetarianism. (S-36) 
Kkkkk 
STRESSED OUT #10 ($1.50 from Pauline Poisonous, 151 Arlington 
Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32014): A limited edition, thanks to the 
super-cool cut-put moire pattern cover with acetate overlay...a real 
work of art. Putting it together took away from reviewing time, so 
there’s not all that much music in this issue, but there is some. 
However there’s plenty of poetry and graphics, so think of this as 
a punk zine that concentrates on other parts of the lifestyle and 
you won't be far wrong. (HL-20r) 


kkk kk 


SWELLSVILLE #9 ($2.50 from PO Box 85334, Seattle, WA 98145): 


A big lump of music and its associated culture from Jack Thompson, 
who opens with an essay linking together Public Enemy, Lipstick 
Traces, Tall Dwarfs and other disparate cultural icons. Later on Richie 
Unterberger slams punk as being dead (what, again?) and provides 
Beatles trivia, Red Alert answers some questions, and the Walkabouts 
get a few pages. Reviews dart through this, piling up at the end, 
and little bits of thought actually appear from time to time. Worth 





Music Zines 61 


reading, especially for those who think they already have their 
fingers on the pulse of the scene. (S-98t) 


kkkkk 

OTEXAS BEAT Vol. 1 #1-2 ($20/12 issues from PO Box 4429, 
Austin, TX 78765): A publication formed from the merger of GLITCH 
NEWS and OASIS. Music coverage from all over the great state of 
Texas, in the form of pages for each separate scene. They also get 
into stuff like fashion, and their large format allows them space to 
treat this well. In #2, the Fat Man has a great column on crackpot 
ideas one hears about recording studio equipment. (T-32t) 


kkkkk 

THIS ZINE SUCKS #18 ($1 from Bob Conrad, PO Box 7952, 
West Trenton, NJ 08628): A punk/whatever music zine that keeps 
adding more—there’s enough record and tape reviews here to make 
a real impact. Fanzines and live shows get reviewed too, of course. 
There’s also interviews with No-FX, Southtown Screamers, Flinch 
and a couple of other bands. Bob continues to do a workmanlike 
job of the zine; not flashy but definitely competent. (S-26r) 


kk kkk 

THORAZINE #4 ($2 from Glenn Ancheta, 8624 Hemlock Hill 
Dr., Houston, TX 77083): A punk music zine that pays attention to 
looks as well as music, and does very well with dark and depressing 
collage layouts. Bands in this issue include Verbal Assault, 
Confrontation, and Impetigo. Glenn also provides free stickers with 
every issue, and is especially interested in hearing from folks who 
trade punk and hardcore audio or video tapes. (S-20r) 


kkk kk 
OTOO MUCH NOISE #26 (70FIM International MO4 copies from 
Kydsti Makinen, Tammelanpuistokatu 1 A 3, 33500 Tampere, - 
FINLAND): A rockabilly and 50’s rock magazine in Finnish (though 
there are plenty of photos and discographies for us insular Americans 
to groove on). A few of the performers in #26: Ray Smith, Even 
Johns, Ral Donner and the whole Sun Records label. (S-42) 


kkekkk 

OTRACKING Vol. 2 #1 ($15/yr from IASPM/USA c/o Steve Jones, 
Dept. of Journalism, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, 
WI 54702): The scholarly journal of the International Association for 
the Study of Popular Music. The main article in this issue, from 
Stan W. Denski, seeks to elucidate the important questions in the 
field. On a more popular level, B. Lee Cooper looks at black music 
that was covered by white groups during the early modern popular 
music era. (D-54t) 


kkkkk 
TRADING POST #5-6 (25¢ from Chris Caggiano, 1737 Grove St. 
#1, Ridgewood, NY 11385): A zine for record and tape traders. 
Basically it consists of lists of music, showing who wants what and 
what they have to trade. Hundreds of records and tapes in every 
issue. (D-24r) 
kk kkk 
TRUANT #3 ($1.85 from PO Box 42185, Memphis, TN 38104): 
A nice hunk of punk music zine, long on interviews, with enough 
polish to be real readable but not so much as to look slick. Interviews 
include Trusty and Hunger Artist. There’s also a hardcore trivia 


‘Co: OT ¥w KXN.00 OS WIL ID¥A:O ¥ 4 
PO.BOX 1251 % 
CALIF 73023 USA 


\ 
wul3 A PUBLICATION OF THE AuDio Evolution Network, 

AN OPEN-MINDED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED To THE 
POSITIVE EVOLUTION OF INDEPENDENT MUSIC, AUDIO ART, 
AND RELATED SUBJECTS. WE ENCOURAGE AN ACTIVE, 
PARTICIPATORY READERSHIP. 


Four issue SUBSCRIPTIONS 
ARE: $10" inne u.S. SIS*Oursive 
SAMPLE ISSUES ARE $322 cy. 
) | sono SASE FOR MORE INFO R= ‘i 
U0!) CL VOOR O:9RZO' & COMTET 

































62 Music Zines 


quiz, plenty of record and tape and zine reviews, and even some 
fairly wild fiction. (S-32t) 


kkkkk 

TRUST #20-21 ($6 air/$4 surface [NO CHECKS] from Dolf 
Hermannstadter jun., Salzmanstrasse 53, 8900 Augsberg, WEST 
GERMANY): With the first of these issues this German-language 
hardcore zine has added a slick full-color cover and a limited-edition 
ae from Spermbirds. Perhaps the closest equivalent in this country 
is FLIPSIDE. Bands in #20 include Operation Ivy, Hard-Ons, Gorilla 
Biscuits and Dickies as well as European groups. #21 includes 
Amphetamine Reptile, Fugazi, Underdog and Mudhoney. (A4-80r) 


tok kkk 
TRUTH EFFORT #4 (Donation from Nathan Limbaugh, 8 
Bloomfield Dr., Mt. Holly, NJ 08060): A small music zine from the 
hardcore world. Mostly this issue is reviews of records, although 
Nathan also interviews Supertouch by mail. Also interesting is his 
opening editorial, with some thoughts on fanzine ownership and 


pricing. (D-12r) 
tok tte 


OUNDERGROUND PRESS FANZINE #1 ($1.25 from James Hollis 
Jr., 798-3rd Ave., Troy, NY 12182): A new music zine from our local 
scene right here in the Capital District of New York. A lot of it is 
focused on local bands, including a whole page of updates and an 
interview with Substance. They also talk to other bands passing 
through, like Fugazi, American Standard and Token Entry, and print 
a couple of pages of record reviews in this premiere issue. (S-12) 


tk tok 
_. QOUNDERGROUND SCENE #2 ($4 from Roberto Herrero, CIL./T. 
Anitua #29 40E, 20600 Eibar, SPAIN): A cool-looking hardcore and 
thrash zine, all in Spanish, with a lot of care put into a layout that 
is organized without losing the punk look. They’ve got scene reports 
from places as diverse as New York and Germany, interviews with 
bands like Whiplash, GBH, Lunatics and others who seem to be 
European rather than American, and lots more. They're looking for 
material for future issues too. (A4-64t) 


~~ 


FACTSHEET 
FIVE 


FACTSHEET FIVE T-shirts are now available 
for $7.00, plus $1.50 postage and handling! 
Designed by Freddie Baer, they feature an 
appropriately enigmatic image of the small 
press, and come on a brilliant yellow shirt in 
sizes S-XL. 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


kkk 
VICIOUS HIPPIES FROM PANDA HELL #8 (SASE from Box 
115, 2718 SW Kelly #C, Portland, OR 97201): Music reviews and 
other goodies from the underground, printed on a variety of 
glare-heavy colored paper. Calamity Jane and Dangermouse have 
things to say in this issue, and the reviews concentrate on Northwest 
bands as well. (D-20r) 


tok tok : 

VICTORY MUSIC REVIEW Vol. 14 #11 ($15/yr from PO Box 
7515, Bonney Lake, WA 98390): Victory Music is an organization of 
folks in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to alternative music: 
womyn’s, folk, Irish, children’s, jazz, you name it. They present 
loads of calendar information and a column on each of music. 
One local musician is featured in each issue; on #11 it’s percussionist 
Mark Filler. (S-24t) 


kk kkk 

OVISION #5 (6DM from Christoph, PO Box 568, Ch-4005 Basel, 
SWITZERLAND): A magazine of experimental noisy music that 
manages to be attractive without being flashy, thanks to an attention 
to details and little hand touches. This issue includes a 33RPM 7” 
from Ix-Ex-Splue, all mournful vocals and grungy guitar noise. Inside 
are folks like Culturecide, Touch, Psychic TV and many more. Text 
is all in German. (A4-33t) 


tek tok & 

WHATEVER RAMBLINGS #3 (50¢ from 5 Greenview Ave., 
Princeton, NJ 08540): This one is growing a bit and even developing 
a bit of editorial direction. Actually the direction rambles by design, 
with Alex doing some stream of consciousness writing which 
documents his scene pretty well. He also prints a Gwar interview 
and a rather disgusting short story. (S-14) 


kkk kk 
WHAT’S WHAT #11 ($1 (?) from 350 Cannady Ct., Atlanta, GA 
30350): Relatively unpretentious music coverage that runs from the 
Ramones to the Flaming Lips. Also here in #11 are Fetchin Bones, 
Beastie Boys, and New Potato Caboose. It’s all wrapped in a 
hand-colored cover. Now, if only they’d discover the shift key and 
stop SHOUTING everything... (5-12) 


tok kek 

WHAT WAVE #18 ($5 from Dave and Rena, 17 Erie Ave., 
London, ONT, N6J 1H9, CANADA): This time around this mag of 
classic garage rock features a hard-vinyl EP with Deja Voodoo, the 
Gruesomes, and a couple of rockabilly types, as well as their usual 
load of print. The latter runs from Dik Van Dykes to Deja Voodoo 
to 1313 Mockingbird Lane and beyond, They talk about all-time 
greats and new demos, review live music and NMS, and generally 
seem to be having a heck of a good time. (S-52r) ; 


tt tok 
WIRE Vol. VII # VI ($6.50/4 issues from KCMU, Seattle, WA 
98195): A cool music zine put out by what must be one of the 
cooler radio stations in Seattle. They roam around quite a bit; this 
issue includes an article on Gary Glitter and a chat with Roger 
Manning. They also cover the new copyright law, slang for the 90s, 
Mike Bidlo and the classic rock band Chrome. (S-32t) 


Kkkkkk 

OZINE #1 ($2 from Jim O'Loughlin, 67 Oakland St. #1, Brighton, 
MA 02135): This is one of those borderline cases, with lots of 
music—chiefly jazzy improv and jamming bands I’ve never heard 
of—but lots of other stuff too. They talk about Dwight Frye’s films, 
print some terribly confusing stories by larry D., and contain a few 
pages of sketches. Looks like there should be Vast Significance here, 
or at least folks havin’ fun. (D-32t) 


tok tetok 

ZIP CODE #3 ($18 CASH/4 issues from Winterwood, 39 Banbury 
Close, Ladybridge Drive, West Hunsbury, Northampton, NN4 9UA, 
UK): A music zine that brings the news on all sorts of new and 
sorta trendy bands, many from the US, to their UK readers. Venus 
Flytrap, MDC, Fugazi, Pale Saints and American Music Club are 
among the names I see here. They interview the guy behind Heyday 
Records and review a whole lot of albums. Slick paper and nice 
layout and photos make this stand out visually. (A4-40t) 


Kk kk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN TESTAMENT #3-4 ($1.25 
from Magi Graphics, 3637 30th St., Detroit, MI 48210): Superhero 
comics with well-done art and a mildly Christian feel to them, though 
no overt preaching. The story line here is complex and not-self-con- 
tained in any one book; you'd probably be best off reading the 
entire four-part series at a sitting. (D-16) 


kkk kk 
OAGONY #1-4 (35¢ from Ed Stastny, 9018 Westridge Dr., Omaha, 
NE 68124): Yuckie-poo minicomics for the morbidly inclined. There’s 
some nightmares here which cross over from the dream state to 
the real, a couple of gory deaths, a suicide, and people definitely 
over the edge psychologically. Each issue actually has a plot, unlike 
some gorefests. (M-8) 


tok tk tok 
OTHE AMAZING ARNIE #15 ($1 from 8334 Amigo Ave. #14, 
Northridge, CA 91324): A crazy little comic strip by Tom Ferranti. 
In this issue Arnie, a sort of blob with a big nose, needs some 
batteries for his electric snood, so the artist draws himself into the 
strip to deliver them. The leads to lots of level-changing jokes, and 
ultimately to some sort of conclusion. (S-12) 


tok totok 
OATDSCHOZ6KK #1 (50¢ from Kurt Beaulieu, 4230 Pierre-de- 
Coubertin #5, Montreal, QC, H1V 1V4, CANADA): A booklet of 
rather gory little drawings, interspersed with warnings about getting 
involved with underground comics—you'll only become a bum. 
Beaulieu draws ax murders and someone cooking his girlfriend’s 
brains into soup with equal aplomb. (D-12) 


toktokek 
OBADLY-DRAWN COMIX #1 (65¢ postage from Martha Keavney, 
418 Madison St., Hoboken, NJ 07030): The first collection of one of 
my favorite comic strips. Yes, they are badly-drawn; but they're also 
funny and self-referential, which makes the okay in my book. 
Besides, isn’t it nice to see a comic admit that its artistic standards 
are low for a change? (S-11) 


kk kkk 








Comics Reviews 63 


BEHIND THE MASK #2 ($1.25 from Lonepath Ltd., 
1076 Curran St., Atlanta, GA 30318): A small comic from 
the creator of CATHEDRALS OF THE DAMNED. It 
features two stories, both with the air of something big 
going on and neither entirely self-contained. Dreams, 
demons, magic, future technology and more muddle 
together, with a nice artistic style that keeps it all fun. 
(D-16) 

kkk 

BIG SISTER #2 ($1 from Victor Gates, 552 Lancelot 
Dr., North Salt Lake, UT 84054): The continued adventures 
of Victor's new heroine, who is indeed a big woman—as 
in “overweight”. After an electrifying experience (see #1) 
she’s determined to fight for the rights of large women, 
and in this issue goes out looking for her peers to find 
out what to do for them. The book includes an extensive 
letter column and the backup feature “The Geep”, about 
a young and somewhat confused Mormon. One of the 
better values in minicomics today. (M-28) 


kkk 
OBLUE HEAVEN #1-3 (35¢ from PO Box 4452, Boulder, 
CO 80306): An attractive small comic. The storyline 
revolves around an age-old fight between secret societies 
that the narrator, a teen, has gotten unwittingly involved - 
in. As the issues proceed, he (and the reader) slowly learn 
what's going on, amidst gunfire, explosions, and double- 

crosses. Nice dark artwork. (D-12) 


tt kk 
BUF-O Vol. 5 #5 (Trade ONLY from Klaus Haisch, 1729 
E. Tabor St., Indianapolis, IN 46203): A fanzine of comics, 
television series, and other popular culture. Much of #5 
is devoted to the memory of CC Beck, who illustrated 
Captain Marvel for many years. Klaus also continues his 
project of listing and rating all the Twilight Zone episodes 
and prints a few pages of Jeff Smith’s “The Protectors”. 
(S-15) 
kkkkk 
OBUMPER CROP OF BITTER FRUIT #1 ($1.50 from 
Doug Chapel Comics, 38 Reservoir St., Holden, MA 01520): 
A selection of full-page drawings from Doug, mostly sort of 
downbeat. There’s lots of black clothes and graveyards here; 
apparently he was having a rough time. A good introduction to the 
best of his graphic style. (S-16) 


kk kkk 
CAPTAIN OPTIMIST #5 ($2 from Allen Freeman, 157 Northwood 
Rd., Frankfort, KY 40601): Captain Optimist is a sort-of-superhero 
whose main power consists in making people optimistic. In this 
issue, that power runs away in a chain reaction, with rather strange 
consequences for the world. It’s a silly story, but the art and lettering 
are up to the highest standards; which makes for an enjoyable book. 
(D-28) 
Kk kkk 
CATFISH Book II (50¢ from PD Wilson, 3414 4th Ave., Columbus, 
GA 31904): A sort of cross between a minicomic and a mini porno 
story, made tough to read by bie dark backgrounds behind the 
words and pictures, It looks like this is the result of drawing the 
originals on grocery bags rather than anything intentional. More 
confusing than erotic. (M-8) 


kkkkk 
CHAOS COMIX #12 ($1 from Randy, 1162 N. Park, Victoria, 
BC, V8T 1C8, CANADA): Crude but funny comics out of the punk 
world. There’s Suicide Al, the crazy skater, people in squats, bad 
poetry, upset parents, arguments over music, and much more. 
Occasionally a bit shaggy doggish, but fun. (D-20) 


kkk 
CHAPEL ZONE #48 (75¢ from Doug Chapel Comics, 38 Reservoir, 
Holden, MA 01520): This comic now includes Doug’s reviewzine 
SPUN as an insert. Surrounding this are the usual “psychotic, 
disjointed funnies”. Doug’s style is still developing, and he’s making 
it strongly recognizable while still interesting. Penguins from hell - 
make an appearance in this issue. (D-12) 


kkk 


64 Comics Reviews 


OCHINATOWN REVIEW Vol. 1 #1 (50¢ from Rikki Leeson, PO 
Box 37451, Honolulu, HI 96837): This is a new review of comics 
from the Philippines. Rikki reviews the artists rather than the 
particular books, since it may be easier to find different examples 
of work than an exact item. For $1 & postage (65¢ on a single 
book), you can order any number of these comics you want straight 
from Rikki—but be warned, they are all in Tagalog. (D-12) 


kkk kk 

OCITY LIMITS #3 ($2 from Bruce Chrislip, 8057 13th NW, Seattle, 
WA 98117): Three issues in ten years may explain why this only 
has a single-copy price. Anyhow, Bruce draws neat comics that are 
sort of warped, “Aha!” experiences and real life situations, an 
adaptation of the medium to something other than superhero stories. 
Some is silly, some thought-provoking, some just ordinary. Includes 
a hand-drawn NOT MORTY COMIX insert. (D-16 & M-4) 


tok kkk 
THE COMICIST #2-3 ($10/12 issues from Rocket Graphics, 1112 
Bellwood Dr., Loveland, OH 45140): A good-looking comics news 
and review zine that so far is not overextending itself. In addition 
to reviews, they offer advice for the budding independent comics 
publisher. #3 explains in pretty fine detail how to write a script for 
a comic. (HL-16t) 


kkk kk 
COMIC UPDATE #109-110 (50¢ from William Dockery, 2108 15th 
Ave., Phenix City, AL 36867): Reviews from the comics world and 
other arenas, with a column of opinion and ranting by Dockery, 
poetry by pd wilson, and more. Mostly it’s directed at the small 
press comics folks, but there are music reviews and they seem 
willing to look at other work. (M-8) 


tok kkk 

OCRAPSHOOT #1 ($1.50 from Darren Schenck, 35 Warrenville 
Rd., Middlesex, NJ 08846): This is the first comics review I’ve seen 
that’s devoted to mainstream rather than independent comics. They 
review current issues of a whole bunch (around 40) of comics from 
Marvel, and have a column for Japanese manga as well. In addition, 
there’s the first part of a comics tory here, “Stomp”, set in a 
far-future postnuke age. (S-40) 


kk kkk 

DARK CHAOS #12 ($2 from Ed Stastny, 9018 Westridge Dr., 
Omaha, NE 68124): This one isn’t all comics—there’s an interview 
with Bloody Mess & the Skabs, to balance out the one with Randy 
Crawford—but most of it is. Besides the visuals Ed also gets in a 
whole mess of zine reviews and some editorial matter on flagburning 
and stuff. Cool artwork from Randy Carwford and Paul Pope, among 
others. (HL-48r) 


kkkkk 

DEADLINE #13 (£1.50 from 17 Leathermarket St., London SE1 
3HN, UK): That's the newsstand price; I dunno what it would cost 
you to get one shipped here. The main content here is a bunch of 
futuristic comics, hard-edged stuff with tough women dating giant 
kangaroos or atomic babies smiting evil. In between, there’s music 
reviews and short stories and video notes and other hip stuff. 
(A4-66t)0 


kkkkk 
ODEAD PLOTTE #2 (50¢ CASH from Julie Doucet, CP 553, Succ. 
3, Montreal QC, H2L 4K4, CANADA): Resurrected from the ashes 
of her previous comic, DIRTY PLOTTE, this one requires a little 
(but not much) French to really appreciate. The comics are sort of 
gruesome but surreal, with the relationship between men, women 
and cartoonists coming in for much exploration. (D-16) 


Kk kkk 
ODISTORTED #1 (35¢ from Agony Comics, 9018 West Ridge 
Dr., Omaha, NE 68124): A short and mostly wordless minicomic 
about the perils of watching television and smoking too much dope 
at the same time. Drawn by Chad Hudson in a nasty, dark style 
that reminds a bit of VIDEODROME. (M-8) 


tk kkk 
ODOLO ROMY #1 ($3.95 & Age Statement from Dolo Blue 
Graphics, PO Box 80023, Minneapolis, MN 55409): Subtitled ”“Dolo 
Rémy in the Underground City of Women”, this is a lesbian 
adventure comic with a decidedly original dark and stylized graphic 
style. The hero is a young lesbian vagrant, who tracks down a. 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


friend in this vast all-lesbian underground city, and proceeds to get 
involved in foiling a coup. (S-40) 


tok kk 
ODUKE THE PIG #1 (50¢ from Liam Brooks, 11439 A Ptarmigan 
Dr., Austin, TX 78758): A new mini from Liam featuring a lead 
character who is in fact a pig—both literally and figuratively, as he 
has the manners and tact of a stereotypical stevedore. In this first 
issue, Duke gets pissed off with his wife and spends a few pages 
in a bar brawl. (M-8) 


kkkkk 
DUNGAR THE BARBARIAN #32-33 (60¢ from Ian Shires, PO 
Box 360921, Strongsville, OH 44136): Dungar is currently wandering 
the world on a sailing ship in the company of a lady magician (a 
love interest for this series at last!) while the pirates home in on 
them. The story is starting to perk up again, and if nothing else, 
this minicomic is reliable. (M-24) 


kkkkk 

OE&M COMIC NEWS #4-5 ($1 from Matt Szewczyk, 18C Boyle 
Ave., Cumberland, RI 02864): Another entry into the independent 
comics review market. E&M concentrates mostly on the amateurs 
and self-publishers, rather than bigger comic markets. Besides 
reviews, #4 has an interview with Kim Kauffman about a tape she’s 
put out. #5 grows to digest size, switches to a credit system (you 
get copies until your money runs out) and chats with Lee Erwin. 
(M-24/D-16) 


tok kkk 
FADE TO BLACK #2 (50¢ from Frank Lloyd Jr., PO Box 486, 
Richmond, WV 26261): A minicomic for the fan of gore. This issue 
starts off with a cover spattered with red in appropriately gory 
places. Inside there aren’t any strips, just “pinup” pages of various 
disgusting characters and scenes. (M-8) 


kkkkk 

OTHE FIRST MAN WAS BORN DEAD ($2.75. from Scott 
Cunningham, PO Box 1329, Cooper Stn., New York, NY 10012): An 
angry, stark comic in a blood-red cover. Inside there is a fable, a 
modern apocalyptic myth, about the offspring of a mating between 
a she-monkey and space aliens. From this unholy union the New 
Age Man is born, and a fine specimen of Homo Schlub he is. I 
guess some people just don’t like the New Age. (D-16) 


kkkkk 
FOR YOUR SKULL #20 (25¢ & a stamp from Carrie, 833 1/3 N. 
Formosa, Ui debe CA 90046): Carrie’s been opening up these 
pages to a wider variety of underground and marginal artists lately, 
and FYS is becoming quite a showplace. In addition to the art, this 
issue has interviews with Ralf Schulze, Duncan, and Ed Stastny. I 
liked it. (D-16) 


kkk kk 
THE GALVIN REPORT #2 (50¢ CASH from C.S. Smyth, 112 
Mansfield Dr., Camillus, NY 13031): A somewhat scattered zine 
centered around major comic books and other media. There’s stuff 
about trading cards, apparently random crime news stories, artwork 
by Tisch and other odds and ends here. (S-10) 


kkk kk 

OGAMMON, GAMMON #1-2 ($3/4 issues from Jon Lewis, 1420 
E. Como Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55117): A very curious comic collection, 
with some short stories thrown in. Jon draws animals and kitchen 
utensils, aliens and plants, and somehow strings it all together. I 
did a lot of head-scratching with this one, but also a lot of chuckling. 
#2 has some dreadful Christmas strips and some curious pun 
comments. (D-28) 


kakkk 
QGOOD CLEAN FUN “THE ELVIS OF COMIC STRIPS” 
MONTHLY UPDATE #1 ($1 from Gene Mahoney, c/o the Daily 
California, 2150 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA 94704): You’ve seen 
Gene’s work in FF; if you like it, this is the place to go for more 
of his comic humor, wall-to-wall. Who knows, ti could be the next 
big hit. Zine editors can get a sample for an SASE. (S-4) 


kk kkk 
DHAM COMICS #1 (25¢ & a stamp from Jim Conatser, PO Box 
1337, Dubuque, IA 52001): There’s two threads running through this 
comic: theology and postmen. There’s ot necessarily any connection, 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


although one of the postmen does entertain theological thoughts. 
More intellectual than the average mini. (M-8) 


kkkkk 
OHANS MARKINARAOSSA (IRCs from Reima Makinen, Ok- 
sasenkatu 7A3, 00100 Helsinki, FINLAND): This is a comic book, 
well-drawn and apparently dealing with the humor of everyday life. 
It's also got lots of vowels and umlauts. In short, it’s in Finnish, 
and while it looks good, I have no idea whether it’s funny or not. 
(A5-20) 


kkkkk 

OTHE HERALD: ULTIMATE HUMANT #1 [herald]($1.25 from 
Magi Graphics, Freazie White Jr., 3637 30th St., Detroit, MI 48210): 
This comic is set in the same universe as THE ADVENTURES OF 
CAPTAIN TESTAMENT, and shares the same successes and failures. 
The art is good and the superhuman mutant filled plot is fast and 
furious. But White writes dialogue as if he’d swallowed a thesaurus, 
and often gets the wrong word for what he’s trying to say. Worse 
yet, the protagonist's name in this one is spelled two different ways, 
a slight but noticeable annoyance. (D-16) 


Kkkkk 
JAKE THE RABBIT #4 (50¢ from Liam Brooks, 11439 A Ptarmigan 
Dr., Austin, TX 78758): This one is rapidly becoming one of my 
favorite minicomics. Apart from the fact that he’s a rabbit, Jake is 
a pretty regular guy, trying to work out relationships with both his 
music and his girlfriend Maureen. Liam’s art bears commenting too, 
as it’s gotten quite a bit better since he started drawing Jake. Now 
it gives a good look at this life while not getting in the way of 
enjoying it. (M-16) 
tok kk 
OKARATE MAN #1 (75¢ from Larry Towsley, 5723 Riverford 
Dr., Raleigh, NC 27604): Premiere issue of a new comic with a sort 
of confused superhero martial arts type. Besides introducing the 
character, this gets him on the roof with a psycho, and strands him 
there in the classic “to be continued” move. Nice graphics, drawn 
without much detail for a quick read. (D-8) 


tok kok 
OKARKUS PRESENTS #1 (50¢ from K.D. Schmitz, RD 4 Box 
217, Pleasant Valley, NY 12569): A minicomic of a battle between 
mutant mosters and happy peaceful auto mechanics. Just when you 
think it’s over, Karl ends it with not one but two awful puns. Ouch! 
(M-8) 
kkk kk 
KARKUS RATUS #3 ($1 from K.D. Schmitz, RD 4 Box 217, 
Pleasant Valley, NY 12569): If there’s a single word to describe this 
comic, it’s “ouch!” Somehow the plot advances between cheap puns 
and visual gags, but it’s tough going at times. Karkus is a clown 
who fled the circus and is now involved in a complicated plot with 
on tar Santa Claus, a blonde in a bar, and other complications. 


tk kik 
OKARNE KRUDA #1 (Raschid Rabi, Larrabure y Unanue 299-401, 
Lima 11, PERU): I classify this as a comics zine with some trepidation; 
while most of it is underground art (with a range reminiscent of 
HEAVY METAL), there are written chunks as well. This seems to 
focus on movies (Batman I can recognize, regardless of language 
barriers) and youth culture. (S-30) 


kkk kk 
OKARPIT KING #1 (50¢ from William Dockery, 2108 15th Ave., 
Phenix City, AL 36867): Another curious minicomic from the Dockery 
line. I don’t find this one quite as opaque as DEMON HOUSE 
THEATER, though it still suffers from trying to cram too much on 
the page. But basically it’s the story of Slew, a loser who gets 
enmeshed with a hard-driving entrepreneur and his hooker girlfriend. 
Maybe. (M-8) 
kkkkk 
KING-CAT COMICS AND STORIES #9-10 (35¢ & a stamp from 
John Porcellino, 1954 Brookside Ln., Hoffman Est., IL 60194): A 
collection of charming comics from John; he has a style that looks 
like it ought to be crude but somehow comes off as economical 
instead. Many of these are drawn from life: finding a superball, 
being a jerk at a party, and so on. #10 has a healthy infusion of 
letters to other newspapers written by local wackos, a comment on 
the current “Mark Trail” storyline, and more. (D-12) 





Comics Reviews 65 


kkk ik 

’ LANA’S WORLD #3 ($1 from How Do You Spell It Productions, 
PO Box 3633, Eugene, OR 97403): A collection of comics, sketches, 
and little written bits. Most have some connection to fighting sexism 
or what used to be called “women’s lib”. These range from funny 
to shocking, and while there’s no “correct line” that all the 
contributors adhere to, thought about women’s lives does play a bit 
part here. (HL-16) 


kkekkk 

L’'ECHO DES CHANTIE #4 ($1 (?) & Age Statement from Kurt 
Beaulieu, 4230 Pierre-de-Coubertin #5, Montreal, Quebec, H1V 1V4, 
CANADA): “Another comic about sexual frustration” that seems to 
be mostly an excuse to draw dirty pictures. Whether it’s Sperman 
and his sidekick Morris the Friendly Sperm or the necrophiliac that 
opens things, this is pretty bluntly concentrated on the physical side 
of sex. (S-12) 


kk kkk 
OLET A SNEER BE YOUR UMBRELLA (50¢ from Haricots Verts, 
468 Anita Dr., Millbrae, CA 94030): A computer-drawn minicomic 
featuring somewhat smartass talking cats. There are a batch of 
single-page strips here, dwelling on such things as eating shrimps 
from the counter and attacking bike messengers. (M-8) 


tok kkk 
LITTLE SKULL’S BAY-BEE #12 (One stamp from 833 1/3 N. 
Formosa, Hollywood, CA 90046): Comics and opinion from the punk 
community. Carrie publishes drawn self-protraits, other odd art, and 
bits from her readers on subjects like heroin or slamdancing or 
whatever. Fun and short. (M-8) 


kkk 
OMADNESS BY MAIL #2 ($1 from Caleb Hammond, 26 Pleasant 
St., Barre, MA 01005): A small comics zine with a slant towards 
barbarians—though one of the barbarians here bears a striking 
resemblance to our president. Caleb also reviews other comics—using 
his own rating system, the art and writing is at best “fair” here, 
but he’s trying. (D-20) 
tk tk 
OMANTRA #8 ($1.50 from Steve Keeter, 513 N. Summerlin Ave., 
Orlando, FL 32803): Steve’s been active in small press comics for 
twenty years now, and it shows. There’s nothing too fancy about 
this collection, but there are no clunkers either. “The Beacon” is a 
superhero who enjoys beating people up, in a not-too-broad parody 
of the genre; “Man-Tonn the Savage” lives in a luch Neanderthal 
world with an alien spacewoman. There’s also shorter features and 
a longish lettercol. (D-32) 


kkk 

MARVELOUS MARTHA’S GOOD OLD-FASHIONED COMICS 
#3 ($2 from PO Box 10696, Minneapolis, MN 55458-3696): A collection 
of work, including much to enjoy. King Crab’s “The Story of the 
Eye-Hop” is a great childhood tale, Richard Gatten’s “Dinin’ with 
the Deity” is amusing, and Joel Orff’s “The Ravine Express” is rather 
surreal. There’s also some written work, including predictions for 
the 90’s from futurist H.P. Effer. (D-36t) 


kkkkk 


a? 


estoy HATEFUL, VIOLENT, B88 


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MELODY #4 ($2.50 & Age Statement from Kitchen Sink Press, 
No. 2 Swamp Rd., Princeton, WI 54968): Another chapter in this 
“True Story of a Nude Dancer”, wrapping up the introductory story 
line. We've now established that Melody is a free spirit who enjoys 
orgies with her friends. Lots of sex (no nude dancing yet) balanced 
by character development and enjoyable art. (S-32) 


kkkkk 
OMETAL HEAD ($3 from Banzai, PO Box 6555, Kansas City, KS 
66106): A collection of the comic that appears in BANZAI, the KC 
heavy metal tabloid. Metal Head is a mutant creature, a rocker 
who’s been modified by Dr. Lardas Fausterman and his nefarious 
mechanical brain. The resulting dude runs around town raping, 
a and turning kids on to destructive death metal music. 


kkkkk 

MIND THEATRE Vol. II #1 ($5/2 issues from Chris Gehman, 
409 Parkside Dr. #3, Toronto, ONT, M6R 2Z7, CANADA): Back 
after too long an absence, this one features a variety of cutting edge 
comics, though Chris is now editor rather than part of a collective. 
Older readers will remember Glenn Grant's futuristic works, which 
still appear. There’s also work from Jeff Curtis and Luna Ticks, 
among others. Chris also has a color collage poster available, a sort 
of despairing anti-tech plea, for $2 signed and sent in a tube. (S-28) 


kkk 
MISC. #32 ($1.25 from Randy Paske, High School Comics, 4841 
Birch Ln., Gilbert, MN 55741-9631): A minicomic with work from 
around a dozen artists. You need to see a couple of issues before 
the main features, poking fun at the life of comics fans, will make 
a lot of sense. But there’s plenty of immediately enjoyable pages 
from the likes of Brad Foster and David Lee Ingersoll. (M-32) 


kkk kk 
MONGO BOY #2 (50¢ from Dyslexic Comicpublic, PO Box 17863, 
Denver, CO 80217): A very strange microcomic, featuring a battle 
between the glaring Mongoboy and Charlie Brown, who proves to 
be the Devil in disguise. Much of the action takes place in Hell, 
and it looks bad for Mongo, but he gets the upper hand at last. 


(MM-32) 
et tO 


OMONK’S ON THE ROAD (50¢ & a stamp from Mick Cusimano, 
PO Box 2565, Cambridge, MA 02238): An illustrated “fable by 
Leonardo Da Vinci”, in minicomic form. Somehow Mick’s strange 
style seems to work better with this sort of archaic stuff than it 
does with more modern subjects. A preview of the upcoming issue 
of UNDERGROUND SURREALIST. (M-8) 


kkk 

MUD #2 ($1 & SASE from Russell Christian, 137 Washington 
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205): Russell calls this little booklet (3 by 7 
1/2 inches) a “Home for orphaned graphics”, mostly his own, 
although Marc Arsenault has some strong work in this issue. The 
drawings here tend to feature distorted people in distorted situations, 
with denouements that make no more sense than the real world 
does. (M-24) 


kk kkk 
NAIL IN TOOTH #4 ($5 from George Fontaine, c/o the Art 
Shack, 273 Rantoul St., Beverly, MA 01915): A collection of comics 
that tend to be more sketchy than realistic, with plots such as 
cleaning the windows of a starship or the explosion of a vending 
machine. The plots are OK, but the art is pretty substandard, even 
for the underground. (S-16) 


khkkk 
ONAKED BRUNCH #1 (50¢ from Liam Brooks, 11439 A Ptarmigan 
_ Dr., Austin, TX 78758): A minicomic in which the characters are 
doing a poetry reading...leaving me to wonder where to review it. 
Jake the Rabbit hosts, and the s come from Wayne Brenner, 
Mike Linick and Lydia Brooks as well as Liam. It’s sort of fun, 

having a reading in the privacy of your own home. (M-16) 

kkkkk 
ONICHOLSON’S SMALL PRESS TIRADE #1 ($2.50 from Jeff 
Nicholson, PO Box 3684, Chico, CA 95927): I don’t know if this is 
still available (it was published in September but my copy got here 
by devious channels) but it you’ve been involved with small press 
comics you should try to get hold of it. Nicholson blasts the whole 
hobby, shouting out that the Emperor has no clothes, there is no 


Comics Reviews 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


“revolution”, there is no “movement”, just a bunch of mostly 
no-talent ere drawing for each other. He says all the things that 
the careful reviewer avoids—and as a bonus, the art here is 100% 
better than that in most minicomics. (M-48) 


kkk kk 

ONOT ALL DUCKS COMICS ($1 from Bill Coleman, PO Box 
29, Peter Stuyvesant Stn., New York, NY 10009): Nope, not all 
ducks, but certainly mostly ducks, centered on the life of film student 
and general failure Dippy Duck. The other major strips concern the 
Willoughbys, a sort of updated Cleaver family. Much of the work 
here strikes me as shaggy dog comics, funny only by not being 
funny or directed towards a punch line. Competent art and a few 
chuckles. (D-20) 


kkk kk 
OPAPER DREAMS #1 (75¢ from Randy Paske, 4841 Birch Ln., 
Gilbert, MN 55741-9631): Collaborative comics from Paul Tumey and 
James Gill, done in round-robin fashion, with each adding panels 
and plot complications before passing to the other. The art is primitive 
but not annoying, and the opening story, “The Lost Pictures”, is 
quite fun. I’m not sure I grokked “We Are Going to Mars”, though. 


(M-16) 
kkk kk 

OPLASMA #1 ($1.50 from PerPlex, PO Box 451, Ridgefield, CT 
06877): Wild cinematic futuristic comics set in a world controlled by 
The Company. There’s a good deal of so-far senseless violence here, 
setting the background of a monopolistic control structure that doesn’t 
much care about being nice. There’s also a couple pages of audio 
cassette reviews, also in comic format. (D-24) 


kk kkk 
DOPOSTMORTEM FUNNIES #2 ($1 from Dave Matthews, 226 
Columbia Dr., Aliquippa, PA 15001): Comics designed to offend and 
perhaps amuse. Lots of public figures, from Kitty Dukakis to Julie 
Brown, get poked at in this issue. There’s also psychedelic 
pornographic dreams and a bit of teenaged racism. (D-8) 


kkkkk 
DOPURGATORY U.S.A. #1 ($1.50 from Ed Brubaker, 1425 Harrison 
St. #330, Oakland, CA 94612): A pretty funny comic story from the 
fringes of the scene. It’s about “The last time Tommy went to a 
Nite Club”. Said Tommy gets too drunk, too nasty, and too beat 
up. Anyone who’s ever gone on a bender and screwed up an 
evening completely will appreciate this one. (D-16) 


kk kkk 

ORIP OFF COMIX #24 ($13/4 issues from PO Box 4686, Auburn, 
CA 95604): One of the best of the traditional underground comics, 
featuring a lot of mildly outrageous work. Some of the offerings in 
this issue include Wayno’s recollections of a high school underground 
newspaper, Mary Fleener’s flirtation with upsetting the ecosystem, 
and a couple of pieces revolving around that cultural Mecca, 
Disneyland. There’s also the classic “Fat Freddy’s Cat” and lots of 
other goodies. (S-48) 


kkkkk 

SELF PUBLISHER! Vol. 1 #10 ($1.25 from Dimestore Stories, PO 
Box 360921, Strongsville, OH 44136): A frequent and reasonably 
regular review of “small press” comics—that is, generally amateur 
(and mostly mini) comic work. Ian has a somewhat different view 
of this world than most reviewers, concerned with the “pro” 
possibilities of the small press. But his reviews are fairly informative 
and pull no punches, making this a useful little zine. In January 
Ian contributed to his reputation for self-congratulation by producing 
THE BEST OF SPI, with a history of his own remarkable exploits. 


(HL-18) 
tok kkk 
SNOWBUNI BLIZZARD #7 ($2.50 from Jeff Wood, PO Box 95198, 
Seattle, WA 98145-2198): Snowbuni is probably Jeffs most famous 
comic character. She’s a short, well-built, rabbit-eared and -tailed 
secret agent who manages to pack a lot of firepower under her 
tight jumpsuits. A variety of artists contribute to her adventures, 
often involving violence as well as hints of sex. A comic to appeal 
to the “furvert” mentality (as lovers of these human/animal 
combinations call themselves. (D-32) 
tk kkk 
SOCIAL VOMIT #6 ($1 from Mike Canich, PO Box 31, Romeo, 


| MI 48065): Art and writing from Mike, with sort of a fanzine noir 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


ambience. The main feature here remains “Clyde”, a story of 
someone going through a very rough life. This issue flashes back 
to his birth and finding out later that it killed his mother. Sort of 
bleak. There’s some short stories and a few music reviews tucked 
away in the back. (S-26) 


Kakkk 
OSTEP DOWN YOUR THROAT COMICS ($1 from The Funny 
Farm Freaks, 2211 Prud’‘homme #12, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3H3, 
CANADA): Handprinted multicolored comics with a chip on their 
shoulder. The look here is beautiful, but the subjects are decidedly 
strange, starting off with the Marx Brothers on their way to hell. 
A very artistic production, and a group of artists that bears watching. 
(HL-24) 
kk kkk 
OSUBURBAN GUERRILLA ($1 (?) from Jim Kempkes, 41-A 
Hazelhurst Rd., Rochester, NY 14606): A comic made by collaging 
together various images from ads and magazines with typed-in 
captions and dialogue. It concerns the life of Marty Flea, a man 
who cracks under the strain of modern life and decides to go after 
all the human garbage with his trusty gun. (S-5) 


tok kek 
OSUBWAY #2 ($1 from Ethan Michaels, 254 Porter College, UCSC, 
Santa Cruz, CA 95064): A collection of somewhat scary comics and 
short stories. There seems to be a certain fascination here with the 
strange and seedy faces of the world, from drunkeness to anomie 


to drugs. Looking for submissions and articles. (D-24) 


kkk kk 

TALES FROM ROSLYN #5 ($1 from Ed Zolna, PO Box 1278, 
Roslyn, PA 19001): The further comic adventures of Fran and Maabl 
and the strange scrawny aliens who they’re messing around with. 
The comedy of errors (will they or won’t they destroy the world?) 
gets more complex here, and you should really order the previous 
issues to understand this comic book. Sort of cutesy in spots, but 
well-plotted enough to hold the interest. (M-24) 


kkkkk 
TECHNO BODY WAY Vol. 2 #4 (L.4000 from Enrico Aresu, v. 
Nazionale, 40, 95040 Piano Tavola, Catania, ITALY): A sort of mail 
art/new wave comic book, with most contents strictly in Italian 
although one short strip is captioned in an English/Italian hybrid. 
The work is artistically interesting, with a lot of detailed postmodern 
comics work. (S-32) 


tok kkk 

OTHAT DAMN CAT #1 ($1 from Natt Rabb, 612 Wyndhurst 
Ave., Baltimore, MD 21210): A strange disconnected sort of comic. 
There’s an awful lot of scene-switching, which helps disguise the 
fact that the plot is more convoluted than sensible. Natt throws in 
a batch of comics and music cliches, and seems to have a lot of 
fun with this medley of cats, samurai salesmen, lunches that turn 
into toy cars, senseless violence, and other whatnot. (S-12) 


kkekkk 

OTICOUNE ZE WHIZ TORNADO #1-2 ($3 CASH from Editions 
du Phylactere inc., 1576 boul. St-Joseph, app. 2, Montreal, QC, H2J 
1M7, CANADA): Ticoune is this pudgy little boy who sees too much 
Batman stuff and starts emulating the caped crusader, building his 
own costume, floundering about the city. Along the way he seems 
to develop some prowess, meets up with a hooker, and does a lot 
of bizarre, unconnected 
things—the plot here is TWISTED IMAGE by 
tenuous at best. Very dense, [wei come to ANOTHER EDITION 
dark, heavy drawing style is | o¢ «60's oOVERKILL— THE 
striking. (D-48) UNTOLD RETOLD STORY” // 

OUR GUEST TODAY 15 BOB 

Te prorrs/ B08 1S AN ACTUAL 
OLD MEMBER OF THE 60'S GENERATION 
Lovo Wio DID NOT ATTEND WooDSTOCK .. 
Lame 








Comics Reviews 67 


tk kk 
TRUE TALES #2-4 (25¢ from No Joke Publications, PO Box 50454, 
Austin, TX 78763-0454): The editor here has been dealing with his 
own slowly surfacing memories of childhood sexual abuse, and is 
trying to work some of them out on paper. This isn’t graphic stuff 
for those who get off on such things, but an honest attempt to deal 
with tales “too terrible to tell”. #4 features a chilling lullaby. (M-16) 


kkkkk 
TWISTED IMAGE NEWSLETTER #13-14 ($1 from 1630 University 
Ave. #26, Berkeley, CA 94703): If you can’t get enough of Ace 
Backwords, then this is the place to go, his own zine which prints 
all of his new comics plus anything else he writes. In #14 that 
includes a pile of music reviews and an interview from COMICS 
F/X. Not politically correct, but definitely funny. (S-6) 


nak kk 
TWO BIT SCI FI #1 (50¢ from Martin Robaszewski, 130 New 
Rd. #E-14, Parsippany, NJ 07054): The cover here is nice, a futuristic 
motorcycle leaping over a barbed wire fence with the sign “city 
limits”, bu the interior is a disappointment. The plot is basic 
gunfighting, and the art is submarginal at best. Martin is looking 
for someone else to ink, which may help. (D-8) 


akkkn 
OVAE NATIBUS #1 ($2.50 from 1417 2A St. NW, Calgary, AB, 
T2M 2X5, CANADA): A neat new comic with lots of good screwy 
work. I liked Kevin Kurytnik’s look at a bad day in the life of the 
Grim Reaper and Mark Lang’s derangement of children’s television. 
Colin Krawchuk’s look at the world of death is a lot more depressing 
and disturbing. (D-24) 


kkk kk 
OVOODOO Vol. 1 #1 ($1 (2?) from Kurt Beaulieu, 4230 
Pierre-de-Coubertin, Montreal, Quebec, H1V 1V4, CANADA): A joint 
production of Kurt and Steven Grant, full of angry and snotty 
drawings. There’s a short story about death by art, a couple of 
vaguely original deaths, and a comic dreaming of small press success. 
(S-12), 


kkkkk 
DOVULGAR PICTURES (25¢ from R. Malice, 3538 18th #6, San 
Francisco, CA 94110): A collection of single-panel drawings that 
range from obscene to, well, obscener. Garfield the cat, anti-AIDS 
posters, television, family life, all are grist for this artist's fertile and 
deranged brain. (M-8) ; 


Kkkkk 
OTHE WORLD IS A STRANGE PLACE TO SIT IN (SASE “and 
a bit of artwork with the words ‘Hi Jason!’ in it” from Jason Sadofsky, 
197 Beacon St. #2F, Boston, MA 02116): A comic of new wavoid 
self-caricatures of the artist, searching for some alternative to sitting 
in this world. If you like the bits of Jason;s work you've seen in 
FF, you should definitely check this out. (D-8) 


kkekkk 
OXLS5 Vol. 1 #1 ($1 (?) from Eric Theriault, 1289 Barre #1, Montreal, 
Que., H3C 1N1, CANADA): A small comic with two strips by Eric. 
The first is a rather disjointed science fiction adventure. The second 
follows the contrasting life cycles of city and nature, arguing that 
neither one is inherently superior to the other. (D-8) 


kkk kk 


Ace Backwords ox: 


THAT'S RIGHT, JoE-.. was \[ BUT You PID EXPERIENCE FIRST-\{ 60'S NOSTALGIA - IS THE MEDIA 
GONNA Go BUT I HAD 70 
WASH MY HAIR, AND THERE 
WERE SOME Good SHOWS ON 
TV. THAT NIGHT, SO X PASSED! 


A 
T SURE DID, Soe /! “0's OVERKILL-HIP o® HYPE? 
1 HEARD THAT THATS AN INCREDIBLE 


IT WAS A Good 


HAND THE EXCITEMENT, THE GOING T0O FAR'?? WELL, JOIN 
UPHEAVAL, AND THE SOCIAL UNREST]] US TOMORROW FOR OUR SPECIAL 
THAT WAS THE 60'S, RIGHT P2_/]| 4°7- PART REPORT: 


SAGA, BoB! é NY +f You WILL 
PP 2}\ SURELY 
DiG IT. 


LAND WATCH THIS NEXT COMMERCIAL... 


68 Poetry Reviews 





Poetry reviews are by pj bellomo (pj) and The Atditor (MG). 


KKekkk 
ALABAMA DOGSHOE MOUSTACHE #6 ($1 .45 from Geof 
Huth, 225 State St. #451, Schenectady, NY 12305): A collection of 
poems that range from mildly confusing to utterly experimental; the 
concluding works by John Bennett and Jake Berry have drifted far 
enough away from language that they are more graphics than 
anything else. Cliff Dweller plays with typography giving a booming 
emphasis to some phrases, while Alan Catlin considers a society 
that’s running down, reflecting some of the other poems within 
these pages. (D-12t)(MG) 
tok kkk 
Alvaro, MEN DON’T CRY THEY SING (Squeaky Shoes Records, 
Zahringerplatz 4, 7750 Konstanz, WEST GERMANY): Poetry and 
lyrics from Alvaro, “The Chilean With the Singing Nose”. Some of 
these work without his unique voice, others don’t. The best of them 
are those in Spanglish patois (others are in Spanish or English, with 
German translations provided) that deal with Latin America from 
the perspective of small, everyday things. (D-52r)(MG) 
kk kkk 
Winona Baker, NOT SO SCARLET A WOMAN ($6.95 from Red 
Cedar Press, 606 First St., Nanaimo, BC, V9R 1Y9, CANADA): 
Enjoyable humorous feminist verse. Baker is uppity and proud of 
it—how many poets would write a reply to Eliot called “Dare to 
Eat Peaches”? I also enjoyed the “Carping” section, including “Lines 
to an Ascetic” which starts out “For god’s sake shut up/I’m sick of 
cleverness...” (D-55t)(MG) 


kkk kk 

Clif Bennett, AUGUST TO DECEMBER ($2 from RR2, Hawkes- 
tone, ONT, LOL 1T0, CANADA): Clif writes poetry in traditional 
modes, this being sort of long-lined blank verse, heavily peppered 
with classical allusions. It moves around from the world as a whole 
to relationships, developing all in a slow, measured pace. Not the 
manic intensity of most poetry we review, but a pleasanter, more 
telaxed tone. (D-18t)(MG) 


tok kok 

John Bennett, MILK ($2 from Luna Bisonte Productions, 137 
Leland Ave., Columbus, OH 43214): If you’ve never seen a Bennett 
poem you've missed a lot. He, or at least his poetic voice, lives in 
a world where anything can happen—as long as it’s nasty. Especially 
after hearing a tape of his readings, the cadences here send shivers 
up my spine. Catch some Bennett for the 1990s; some time this 
decade everyone will be talking like this. (D-8)(MG) 


kkk kk 

John Bennett, TIDE (50¢ from Luna Bisonte Productions, 137 
Leland Ave., Columbus, OH 43214): Four linked poems in a mini 
from John. Theyre in his usual breathless, scary style, full of 
everyday objects that seem to have deep meaning and actions that 
endorse paranoia as a way of life. The last word of each poem is 
the title for the next, with the fourth leading back to the beginning. 
Trapped! (M-8)(MG) 


kkkhk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Mark Bloch, ANTHEMS OF HOPE AND TERROR ($2 (?) from 
PO Box 1500, New York, NY 10009): A collection of poems written 
over an 8-year period from 1979 to 1987. Mark apparently collected 
them on scraps of paper, and now here they are all photocopied 
together. It’s hard to pick out threads in a work this sprawling, but 
one common concern seems to be just dealing with the world, 
finding a way past futility. He also explores the dimensions of fame, 
in mostly oblique ways. Gut-level stuff, very spontaneous feeling. 
(S-30)(MG) 

Lahtahtahatel 

Drew Blood, FABULOUS RUIN ($2 from 3410 First St., Riverside, 
CA 92501): The title may well refer to all of civilization; things here 
are not pretty. Strong offerings include the punk rock evaluation 
“What's Past and Present” and several AIDS poems, the best being 
the ACT-UP inspired “Silence = Death (A Rant)”. “Pneumocystitis 
at Christmas” also gets very close to the bone. A writer to watch. 
(D-20r)(MG) 

kak 


kk 

BONESAUCE #10 ($1 from 123 Stonewall #4, Memphis, TN 
38104): #10 is a special issue of this poetry zine with all the works 
by editor Peter Mantis. It’s a confusing ramble through life, family 
and love (or at least sex with Elvis), as well as anticipating critical 
reactions of confusion, which is precisely what he gets from this 
reviewer. This seems to be poetry directed more at getting words 
on paper than at communicating them to the reader. (D-18r)(MG) 


kk kkk 
Les Bridges, THEY’LL NEVER TAKE US ALIVE ($3 from 
Lyndawn Inc., 127 Fourth Ave. #4B, New York, NY 10003): Bridges 
writes in short, staccato bursts, of sex and violence and living in 
the city. Quick glimpses of strange sex, hopeless folks (“This is New 
York. Take the money.”) and memories of affairs past sprinkle these 
pages. Bluntness and rhythm. (D-28)(MG) 


kek kkk 
Brian Burch, NEXT EXIT ($6 from The Plowman Printing House, 
PO Box 414, Whitby, ONT, LIN 5S4, CANADA): A collection of 
socially-relevant poetry with some fine imagery running through 
it—like the Bible being used to drive tent pegs for a protest. Brian 
writes of ecological problems and unemployment and the hassles of 
children and a lot of other things, in a strong voice that’s a joy to 
tread. (D-32t)(MG) 
kkkkk 
CAMELLIA #3 (45¢ from PO Box 3406, Oakland, CA 94609): A 
short poetry zine that seems to be into rather hermetic and fantastic 
poems. The situations here are more real than life and twice as 
intriguing, from a musical skyline in Prague to the effects of 
moonlight. (D-20t)(MG) 


tok kkk 

CITY RANT #1 ($1 from McOne USA, PO Box 50174, Austin, 
TX 78763): A fast-flowing collection of work by John McElhenney, 
with the cover blurb “The electric coffee confessions of a poet, once 
insane”. It’s good stuff, full of sharp neon-edge images of life in 
the midst of too many people and too much stuff. I also liked the 
updated version of the person from Porlock who ruins a poem late 
in the book. (D-32t)(MG) 


kkk kk 

CUZ #3 ($3.95 from The Poetry Project, St. Mark’s Church 
in-the-Bowery, 2nd Ave & 10th St, NY, NY 10003): The art in this 
journal has the feel of being art-by-professionals. Ironically, ‘a candid 
interview (recommended reading) with the immoral Nick Zedd 
reveals an artist/film-maker distinctly offended by the middle class 
art world. Having said all this, I still feel that the editor brings 
together diverse and interesting poems, not to mention the engaging 
excerpts from Through the Windshield by Michael Decapite. (D-95)(pj) 


kkkkk 

Ken DiMaggio, THE CHEVROLET POEMS ($1 from Ken 
DiMaggio, 209 Avenue M Apt #1, Brooklyn, NY 11230): This 
chapbook contains 3 relatively long poems titled “Chevrolet,” 
“Chevrolet II,” and “Chevrolet III.” It’s a “chevy” presumably 
because of the long-standing reputation that make of car has with 
the “basic” or “simple.” These are essentially long prosaic rants, 
interrupted only by stanza breaks. The subjects move swiftly from 
imperialist US foreign policy to the score of the latest “ball game;” 
the mannequins (i.e. people on the street) prefer discussing the ball 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


game. Although the style becomes tiresome, it does reach its peak 
in the third poem. (HL-16)(pj) 


kkk kk 

DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES #28 ($1 from David Kopaska- 
Merkel, 4801 Cypress Creek Dr. #1004, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405): A 
selection of work with fantastic overtones of one sort or another. 
For some reason plants and sex seem to be the most common topics 
in #28, with a fine multiple-level poem about a farmer and a magic 
stick by Stan Proper. Alan Catlin and Paul Weinman look at people 
caught in the grip of various madnesses. (D-18t)(MG) 


kkkkk 

DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES #29 ($5/6 issues from David 
Kopaska-Merkel, 4801 Cypress Creek Dr, #1004, Tuscaloosa, AL 
35405): It is important to note that the above address is new, and 
that all correspondence should be addressed to the editor, not DEN. 
This issue seems smaller than usual, containing more dreamy poems 
and graphics than nightmarish ones. For those who thrive on 
controversy, “Weresong” by Lee Barwood is published here; a poem 
that worships darker things, and that generate protest from some 
conservative folks in the Midwest a few years ago after a radio 
show in Missouri. (D-18)(pj) 


tok kkk 

David Dubrow, A HAPPY PATH ($4 from 7117 Woodhollow 
#1718, Austin, TX 78731): A book of poetry prefaced with a 
metaphysical justification and shot through with the occasional 
reference to Leary or Gnosticism. David starts from a perspective 
of using belief to mold reality, and in turn uses this idea to mold 
his poetry. The result is a whirling universe of change where the 
poetry sometimes seems a bit forced but the ideas continue to grow. 
(S-23t)(MG) 


tek kkk 

Lainie Duro, A MURDERED ETERNITY & Edward Mycue, 
GRATE COUNTRY ($1 (?) from Lainie Duro, Oyster Publications, 
723 N. Highland Ave, Arlington Hts, IL 60004): This is two chapbooks 
in one; each starts at one of the covers, though you must flip the 
book to read the other author. Lainie’s stuff is a mixture of primitive 
poems and sketches, the driving force being memories of a 
bittersweet love. Ed’s work is diverse, the one common thing being 
the ever-present 1st person. Here’s “Clouds on the Roof,” his shortest 
poem in this collection: “Sheep ate the Shepard.” (HL-60)(pj) 


kkkkk 
THE ENCHANTED MOUNTAIN MONTHLY (50¢ from Ken 
Wagner, 511 W. Sullivan, Olean, NY 14760): A new magazine of 
poetry with a pretty depressing first issue. A young kid views a 
dead father at a funeral, not understanding; another poet writes of 
cars crushed in the San Francisco earthquake. Ken also lists a few 
contests and reviews a few zines. He’s looking for work for future 
issues. (D-16)(MG) 
kk kkk 
FEH! #7 ($5 CASH/3 issues from PO Box 5806, Stn. B, Montreal, 
Que., H3B 4T1, CANADA): So you've never heard of FEH!? Well, 
there’s more than a full page of poetry here devoted to 
excrement—and that’s just one of the subjects it wallows in. Odious 
poetry is the name of the game, and with the limericks and poems 
here there’s a lot to choose from. Whether it’s smut or bad 
translations or the possibility that the poet was dead when starting 
the poem, you'll find lots that won't be published elsewhere. 
(HL-20t)(MG) 


kkk kk 

H.R. Felgenhauer, INSECTS ARE PEOPLE TOO ($2.50 from PO 
Box146486, Chicago, IL 60614): The poems and graphics combine to 
create a rich science-fiction fantasy environment. Many poems 
outlined quick stories, often with bizarre twists. The graphic display 
never quits, though there’s some dis-appointment in that laborious, 
recurring motif of fierce, scantily clad muscle-heads; an affliction 
from which this genre frequently suffers. (S-28)(pj) 


tok kkk 
FINE MADNESS Vol. 6 #2 ($5 from PO Box 15176, Seattle, WA 
98115-1076): The poetry here tends to be more intricate and complex 
than much of that in the small press, well-rewarding the effort 
needed to mine it. There is a lot here, but a few highlights include 
Ann Pitkin’s deeply meotional “Oncology” and the short poems of 
Martin Sorescu translated from the Romanian. Others worth 


Poetry Reviews 69 


mentioning include Dan Raphael, Belle Randall, and Stacey Sollfrey. 
(D-80t)(MG) 
tokk kk 

Dennis Formento, HAND SIGNALS ($3 from Acre Press, 1521 
N. Lopez, New Orleans, LA 70119): A cataloguing of some of the 
ills of modern life, from bureaucracy to government cheese. Along 
the way there is a chunk translated from the works of Hans Arp 
and the title poem, which reminds me of John Bennett in its intensity 
of everyday life. (D-32r)(MG) 


kkkkk 

FREE LUNCH #3 ($4 from Free Lunch Arts Alliance, PO Box 
7647, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677): Subscriptions are free to “all serious 
American (U.S.) poets,” but I listed the $4/ish cause Dylan Thomas 
wouldn't have qualified on either count. Anyway, the poems in this 
journal generally have a precise, unemotional quality (w/notable 
exceptions) about them. Take “The Quiltmaker” by Renee Epstein: 
“Met a one-eyed woman, he told me...Her eye was a coal sack, he 
told me,/Skin-tied to keep what she knew/Warm inside her.” 
Unemotional? Perhaps, but often handy with a knife. (D-33)(pj) 


tok kk 
THE GALLEY SAIL REVIEW #34 ($3 from 1630 University Ave. 
#32, Berkeley, CA 94703): A collection of poems from quite a number 
of folks, many on the traditional end of things, but certainly far 
from moribund. Favorites in this issue include “Writing About 
Marriage” by Jennifer MacPherson, neatly capturing the feeling of 
being captured, and Sarah Blake’s “Shadows”. (D-48t)(MG) 


kkk kk 
Gilbert Garcia, NEKKID ALL DA TIME (2 stamps from 7107 
Westgate, Austin, TX 78745): Short poems that blast right down the 
page at breakneck speeds. Gilbert alternates between a sort of manic 
energy and a quiet, almost desperate sensitivity. I find the latter 
bits more appealing; maybe the first sign of encroaching age. 
(D-16)(MG) 
kKkekkk 
Gilbert Garcia, TWENTY ONE POEMS (2 stamps from 7107 
Westgate, Austin, TX 78745): More handwritten depth-dredgings from 
Gilbert. He’s doing a lot of questioning in this book—about being 
a poet, about the world, about love, abotu suicide. Overall it looks 
like there’s a lot of sparks of hope buried here, but it’s hard to dig 
them out sometimes. (D-20)(MG) 


tok kkk 
GIANTS PLAY WELL IN THE DRIZZLE... #24 (Sample on 
request from Martha King, 326-A Fourth St., Brooklyn, NY 11215): 
A no-frills poetry zine that has some nice quirky voices, with works 
close to the mainstream but still interesting. I enjoyed the excerpts 
from George Stanley’s historical “San Francisco’s Gone” and its pile 
of memories. The sheer rhythms of Kim Lyons’ work also attract. 
(S-8)(MG) 
tk kk 
GUTS #7 ($2.50 from Keith A. Dodson, Guillotine Press, PO Box 
2730, Long Beach, CA 90801): A fine collection of modern poetry, 
all hard lines and blunt talk about sex and violence and abortion 
and homelessness and all the other warts on the face of the world. 
Judson Crews, Arthur Winfield Knight, Paul Weinman, Kurt Nimmo 
and John Eberly are among the many poets here. Lorri Jackson’s 
“Bad Cup of Coffee” is one of the most raging looks inside a bad 
love affair I’ve seen. (D-34r)(MG) 


tk kkk 

GYPSY #12/13 ($5 from Belinda Subraman, 10708 Gay Brewer 
Dr., El Paso, TX 79935-2004): This is here because I think of GYPSY 
as primarily a poetry mag, even though Belinda publishes a fair 
number of short stories and gives lots of space to full-page art. 
Nevertheless, it’s the poetry, by folks like Huffstickler and Memmott 
and Karin Spranzel, that really stands out for me here. Many of 
the pieces are just this side of being too experimental, far enough 
from the mainstream to provoke but close enough to speak to the 
average reader. Belinda’s own wistful closing poem lends a nice 
touch to the overall collection. (S-72)(MG) 


kkk kk 
Richard F. Harvey, TEARS OF THE SAMURAI ($2 (?) from 181 
Vermont Ave N.W., Warren, OH 44485): Poems fueled by the 
author's experiences in or emotions of the Viet Nam War. Like many 
such efforts, this work comes-across as a therapeutic exorcism. But 





70 Poetry Reviews 


this has worth for more than the author alone. This is history as 
well as art. “Pappy,” which begins “No one remembers crying at 
birth...” was my favorite; it develops into a metaphor about sudden 
light (as at birth) causing people to cry, and how “saving a life” in 
Nam could evoke tears of pain from the saved—as if death offered 
the comfort of a womb. (D-40)(pj) 


kkk 
Crag Hill, AMERICAN STANDARD ($3 from Runaway Spoon 
Press, Box 3621, Port Charlotte, FL 33949): Chapbook of brief, visual 
poetry. Hill is really clever. Though sometimes thought-provoking, 
it's really the humor that makes this special. Take “Sin thesis”: 
“Adam and Eve collaborate.” Or “Possessed”: ” John’s’ ae 

BEaUtiFUL? (M-40)(pj) 

kkkkk 
Alan Howard, SOMEONE’S BEDROOM ($1.45 from PO Box 
1386, Columbia, SC 29202-1386): A collection from the editor of 
TRAMP. Alan has a very spare poetic voice, using just enough 
words to make his point and then going on to the next poem. 
There’s almost a fogginess about some of these pieces, a hesitation 
of memory, as in “Must Be Things I’ve Lost...” which gradually 
trails off into remembrance that need not speak further. (D-19)(MG) 


kkkkk 

Albert Huffstickler, PIECE OF BRANDON: A FRAGMENTATION 
($3 (?) from Slough Press, PO Box 1385, Austin, TX 78767): A 
longpoem set in a mental institution (and following the protagonist 
outside of it, apparently in flashback). It rushes down the page, 
reporting on one problem after another, and showing that 
institutionalization is not so much a way of fixing problems as 
dealing with them. It ends on an epiphanic note, and a rather 
unexpected one at that. (HS-20)(MG) : 


kkk 

Albert Huffstickler, SOUL GALLERY ($3.50 from Press of 
Circumstance, 312 E. 43 #103, Austin, TX 78751): These are poems 
of people who have been passed by by the American Dream, and 
so are condemned to a life of one day after another with no great 
events, no great successes, just another night's sleep to look forward 
to. That doesn’t prevent tragedies, thoug ne of these poems is 
about the death of the poet's young granddaughter. Huffstickler 
doesn’t abandon hope, though; “Reunion” holds out the promise 
that eventually we will all be reunited with our dreams. (D-38t)(MG) 


kakke 
Idy, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE SOME OF MY 
BETTER POEMS? (25¢ from 516 3rd St. NE, Massillon, OH 44646): 
A selection of short and sometimes silly poetry from Idy. There’s 
no big points here, no super-deep meanings. I liked “Orange”, which 
starts off “Don’t be afraid/It’s only the cactus...” (M-8)(MG) 


kkk 

Idy, CHALK OUTLINE OF A DEAD GECKO (50¢ from 516 3rd 
St. NE, Massillon, OH 44646): Like many of us, Idy spends school 
time writing about other things. Unlike most of us, he publishes 
them. These ate poems and the occasional story, many about the 
problems of being locked into a non-rewarding chunk of life, made 
a bit less typical by his strong spiritual underpinnings. Nothing 
fancy, just a self-exploration on paper. (D-16)(MG) 


kkk 

IMPETUS 17 ($3 from Cheryl Townsend, 4975 Comanche Trail, 
Stow, OH 44224): A poetry journal peppered with both graphics 
and reviews. The print quality was poor this time around, but with 
a little squinting one could discern some interesting poetry. An 
“animal rights” theme jumps out of the 1st couple of pieces; C.L. 
Frost was particularly crafty with “Specimen.” Later, Joe Williams 
indicts society w/’The Day They Fried Ted Bundy.” You'll find novice 
work interspersed with more polished poems. (HL-84)(pj) 


kkk 

Will Inman, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO A LOVER OF GOD 
($3.50 from PO Box 62328, Tuscon, AZ 85734): This chapbook contains 
14 poems, each 13 lines long, which mythically explore aspects of 
Christ's life and teachings from a relatively radical christian 
perspective. As the title implies, this is not an artistic attack on 
Christianity but instead a new artistic perspective from a worshiper. 
Form seems important to the author, each word being carefully 
chosen. Full appreciation of this depends on a thread of shared 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


faith; given that thread, these mythical poems should strike deep. 
(D-14)(pj) 
kk kkk 

Will Inman, SCALES TO HOOFS, FINS TO WINGS ($3.65 from 
PO Box 62328, Tuscon, AZ 85734): More of Inman’s spiritual poems, 
with a brief but important introduction by the author, guiding the 
reader through the poems. These are rich works, drawing images 
from the annals of literature and mythology, but always speaking 
to the here and now. The ten, 13-line poems in response to the 
nonsense over “The Last Temptation of Jesus Christ” are blunt and 
unavoidable: “fundamentalists fix Jesus with cosmetic/putty: or they 
would if he would just stay/still....” (D-32)(pj) 


. LhteReRatel 

Will Inman, VOICE OF THE BEECH ORACLE ($2 from PO Box 
62328, Tuscon, AZ 85734): Subtitled “A Shaman Song,” this is written 
in 13 short stanzas. The language is not poetic per se, but it is 
non-prose in that parts of speech are omitted, such as articles and 
helping verbs: “Priest not like Shaman. Shaman teach/people secret 
love. Priest go get soldier,/bring soldier to mountain, stand, 
watch/while Shaman talk before beech tree.” This encounter between 
these two religious persons gets more interesting. R. Betner 
contributes a sensuous cover drawing of bodies rapped about a 
beech tree. (D-12t)(pj) 


kKkkkk 

Will Inman, A WAY THROUGH FOR THE DAMNED ($4.50 
from PO Box 62328, Tuscon, AZ 85734): Generally speaking, the 
symbols, objects, and images in this poetry chapbook are ageless. 
In fact, if it wasn’t for Inman’s free verse style, you'd be hard-pressed 
to place this work in any particular time period. Of course, Inman's 
spirituality is present once again, though this time lurking mostly 
in the background. My favorite was “The Argument,” where the 
poet mocks the Rainbow; at one point the following exchange occurs 
with respect to the Rainbow’s curve: “An upside-down smile, i 
observe...Only to one who is upside down, smiles Rainbow.” 


kkkkk 

Kathleen K., MAKE ME TAKE IT LET ME HAVE IT ($2 from 
Laocoon Books, PO Box 20518, Seattle, WA 98102): Kathleen 
apparently finds writing erotic poetry as natural as breathing. Indeed, 
even the rhythms of breath are here, some pieces being short gasps, 
others slow and languid. With no titles and only minor breaks 
between the poems, this becomes an immersion in the erotic, 
touching, feeling, moving and climaxing. (D-24t)(MG) 


Kk kkk 

Karl Kempton, A POND OF STARS ($3 from Runaway Spoon 
Press, Box 3621, Port Charlotte, FL 33949): This collection of short 
poems opens with a haiku, setting the tone for the remainder of 
the chapbook. The following is an exemplary piece: “bee kloud thru 
orchard/and around me/more fear reflext/than of war/roosted on the 
horizor/eating holes in the ozone.” Note how this pleads to be read 
aloud, and more than once at that. Although the author might not 
consider this haiku, these works certainly would be of great interest 
to haiku enthusiasts. (M-48)(pj) 


L Refietetel 
Laura B. Kennelly, THE PASSAGE OF MRS. JUNG ($2 from 
Norton Coker Press, Ed Mycue, PO Box 640543, San Francisco, CA 
94164-0543): Laura’s poetry reads as through a veil, full of hidden 
meanings not-quite-grasped at first glance. Oh, there are some 
straightforward poems, but even these are unusual, as with “After 
a Class in Beowulf”, where a glance from a classmate (obviously 
male to female) transports the poet back in imaginary time to 
“Pre-Celtic burial pits/Slaves raped and sacrificed”. This is bloodier 
than the other poems here; many of Kennelly’s creations have a 

chuckle hidden in them. (D-24t)(MG) 


kk kkk 

Lisa Kucharski, BLUE MOON DAY ($3 from Making Waves, PO 
Box 226, Guildford, Surrey, GU3 1EW, UK): Kucharski writes with 
a sort of dreamlike view of the world, where the pieces don’t quite 
fit together to make rational sense. Nonetheless she makes her 
points, as in “Over My Head”, a sort of modern recombinant version 
of Chicken Little and the boy who cried Wolf. “Dark Song” is the 
sort of poem a kinder gentler John Bennett might write. (D-36)(MG) 


kkkkk 


r 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Kym Landry, THE HEROIN OF THIS STORY ($2 from Drew 
Blood Press, 3410 First St., Riverside, CA 92501): This is poetry from 
the same culture that produced Gothic punks, dressed all in black, 
fascinated by death. Indeed, in one short fragment Kym casually. 
says “We are on a Movement/Deathism shall be our ism”. Dead 
friends, reading the obituaries, ODs, S/M and other cheery things 
populate these pages. (D-28r) 


tokokokok 
LILLIPUT REVIEW #8-9 ($1 from D. Wentworth, 4 Huddy Ave., 
Highlands, NJ 07732): A journal devoted to the art of the short 
poem; if it’s over ten lines Don doesn’;t want to see it. #8 is all 
erotic poetry, including works from Lyn Lifshin, Paul Weinman, 
John Bennett and Cheryl Townsend. #9 is a broadside by Tony 
Moffeit, 36 linked five-line poems, which seem to be fragments of 
thoughts reflecting back on a brief and tender love affair while 
simultaneously shifting in time to the poet driving away. (S-2)(MG) 
Lhehiehahel 
Myron Lysenko, COUGHING WITH CONFIDENCE (A$8 from 
PO Box 64 Coburg, Victoria 3058, AUSTRALIA): Myron writes well, 
capturing bits and flakes of a suburban lifestyle in straightforward 
story poems. I like his style, and his choice of subject matter—getting 
too drunk at parties, the importance of music in life and, in a more 
serious section, The Bomb. Whimsical fun. (D-48t)(MG) 


toto tok 
Peter Mantis, SIGNALS OUT OF STYLE ($1 from 123 Stonewall 
#1, Memphis, TN 38104): Longish poems from the editor of 
BONESAUCE with sort of a late night ruminatory feel to them. 
Mantis hops from love affairs to the strangeness of life to 
self-referential pieces on the whole process of writing poetry and 
trying to pin feelings down on paper. (D-10)(MG) 
kkk kk 
Margueritte, PULLED FROM THE JAWS OF A DOG ($1 from 
Ken DiMaggio, 209 Avenue M Apt #1, Brooklyn, NY 11230): 5 short 
introspective poems that carry-on their search in a play of concrete 
everyday experiences and more abstract dream images. For me, the 
redeeming value was the language; though an entire poem might 
leave me baffled, there always seemed to be a line 
that would resonate: “even if I spend the rest of 
my life/walking empty fields/I will at least have/the 
wildflowers bending freely in the breeze.” (HL-4)(pj) 


kkk kk 

Stephen-Paul Martin, CORONA 2500 ($3 (?) from 
Score, Crag Hill, 491 Mandana Blvd. #3, Oakland, 
CA 94610): I like Martin’s work, even if I don’t 
understand it. This is another typographic poem, 
with letters being used to make words and also to 
make structures that march down the page (or jump 
out of it) surrounded by the words. The feel here 
is that the language is not static but dynamic, 
changing in a complex way as the reader, the 
symbols and the poet all interact. (S-24)(MG) 


kkk kk 

Al Masarik, VAN GOGH’S CROWS ($1.50 (?) 
from Black Rabbit Press, 4115 E. 81, Cleveland, OH 
44105): Masarik seems to be having almost a crisis 
of confidence as he examines poets and poetry. Take 
this chunk from “after any rain”; “we use words 
like freedom words like/adventure without seeing 
they are/prisons” (there’s a neat double meaning in 
there too). But he perseveres, drawing simple 
pictures and occasionally pulling back to put them 
in context. (D-22) 


kkkkk 

Bernadette Mayer, SONNETS ($5 from Lee Ann 
Brown, #le 130 Fort Washington Ave, NY, NY 
10032): Complex works which take a traditional form 
and artfully manipulate it until it’s almost unrecog- 
nizable. Each poem either evokes an immediate 
smile or leaves you in deep thought: “we were 
walking in the rush hour/Got pushed into a snow 
bank/By a man in a_ Bentley/&climbingoverit- 
IfellinlikeGreek&Latin.” The occasional mention of 


a ont + for you 





me and my bss Sisder 


ESE ST 


Poetry Reviews 71 


“poetry” in a poem may turn-off some folks. (D-85)(pj) 


kkk 

Fabian McCarthy, Jr., A NARROW ESCAPE FOR SIGMUND 
($2.50 from Keith Dodson, Guillotine Press, PO Box 2730, Long 
Beach, CA 90801): This chapbook also serves as the 8th issue of 
GUTS magazine. McCarthy writes gritty poems of a reasonably 
average life, centered around the sex act. On a few occasions he 
even comes up with an original erotic image. However, his continual 
condescending attitude towards women who are not stereotypical 
male fantasies is annoying and ultimately unpalatable. (D-20)(MG) 


tok ek 

Howard McCord, AMERICAN FAMILY MOTTOES ($1 from Tom 
Kryss, Black Rabbit Press, 4115 E. 81, Cleveland, OH 44105): As 
much found poetry as anything else, so it ends up here. McCord 
collected about one hundred “mottoes” for the Bicentennial—they 
look like they came from license plate holders or bathroom walls, 
though no provenance is given. Samples: “No Truth”, “God Bless 
Lenny Bruce” and “Cheat Reality”. mantras for the modern age 
under a textured gold cover. (M-10)(MG) 


kkkkk : 

Howard McCord, THE HONEY BEE AND THE MUSTANG ($1 
from Tom Kryss, Black Rabbit Press, 4115 E. 81, Cleveland, OH 
44105): A short poem, or perhaps several short poems, set in the 
remaining open spaces of the West. McCord has subtitled this “Bill 
Yeats Out West, Nobodaddy Riding Shotgun In Search of the 
Winding Stair”. Earth Firsters would probably go for some of this, 
particularly the elevation of coyotes over people. (M-6)(MG) 


tk kkk 
MINOTAUR #19 ($3 from PO Box 4039, Felton, CA 95018): A 
digest of comparatively staid poetry, poems in largely traditional 
forms that don’t try to push the envelope of what's acceptable but | 
instead concentrate on telling their stories. This issue includes 
enjoyable work from Bayla Winters and Paul Mariah, and a rather 
experimental screenplay from Geof Huth. (D-44r)(MG) 


kkkkk 

Charles Mitchell, THE ROOM OF THE 500 ($3 
from Minotaur Press, PO Box 4039, Felton, CA 
95018): Mitchell’s is a voice of the west, but in 
addition to a certain grizzliness and world-weariness 
things here are almost fantastic in spots. Buddhism 
creeps in (especially int he final depressing rumina- 
tion on satori “The Night Watchman” as does the 
delight in life which remission can bring and a 
strange hunting accident in which people become 
elks (or is it vice versa?). He writes in long chewy 
lines, poems with plenty of body. (D-32r)(MG) 


kkk kk 
Al Mittal, HANDS FULL OF EYES ($4 from 
Slough Press, PO Box 1385, Austin, TX 78767): 
Reading Mittal’s poems is a bit like trying to gras 
a handful of smoke; they dart Hee pals § 
sketching out forms and ideas but refusing to hold 
for close examination. Untitled (for the most part) 
and uncapitalized, they tell of relationships and 
sour love, the joys and pains of being a poet, and 
the dangers of living too much in memory. An 
abstruse style that takes some getting used to. 
(D-28)(MG) 
kKkkke 
Yvonne Moonstorm, MOON OVER THE MIS- 
SISSIPPI ($1.50 (?) from Route 4 Box 361, Perryville, 
MO 63775): A collection of Yvonne's poetry with 
a cover by Randy Moore. Most of this stuff is about 
love and loss, with a few historical poems (like the 
one about her Dad’s time in WWII) thrown in. 
Yvonne has a very withdrawn, reflective voice, and 
you have to listen pretty hard to hear her behind 
these poems. (HL-12)(MG) 
kkkkk 
D.W. Myatt, TO FORGOTTEN GODS (£1.5 
from PO Box 4, Church Stretton, Shropshire, UK 


de ath i SY6 6ZZ): Pagan poems which pay homage to the 
colle 


la it earth and astral bodies. The author has an uncanny 





72 Poetry Reviews 


knack of outlining, in curt lines and stanzas, detailed images of 
people living in harmony with nature. In addition to mere description 
there is praise/worship in different forms: “But there are gods,/If 
one knows where to look/And can tread the steep slopes/Of this 
hill.” A keen interest in the subject matter would seem a must. 


(S-16)(pj) 
tothe 


F, A. Nettlebeck, ALBERT AYLER DISAPPEARED ($3 from 
Inkblot, 439 49th St #11, Oakland, CA 94609): A chapbook of short 
poems, of which many are visual, of which many are complex. 
These require numerous readings, and even then you must resign 
yourself to the fact that precise meaning is rarely the intent. 
Occasionally, however, the message is unmistakably clear, such as 
in “Or What”: “My asshole is/bigger than/most of your/brains.” 


(D-40)(pj) 
toto 


NEW HOPE INTERNATIONAL Vol. 13 #6 ($3 from 20 Werneth 
Ave., Gee Cross, Hyde SK14 5NL, UK): We don’t see much from 
England, so I don’t know if the traditional look of most of these 
poems is typical of British poetry or of editor Gerald England’s taste. 
In any case there’s more craft and less playfulness here than in 
some of the American zines, with solid work from people like 
Stewart Pickford and Glenda Wintein (the latter's work, a flowing 
ameoboid poem about an amoeba, is perhaps the most playful thing 
here). An enjoyable change of pace. (A5-32) 


kkkkk 
Kurt Nimmo, THE SMASHED RAT EXERCISE PLAN ($1.50 (?) 
from Black Rabbit Press, 4115 E. 81, Cleveland, OH 44105): I try to 
put a market value on these Black Rabbit chapbooks based on the 
handwork and heavy screened covers, but editor Tom Kryss is happy 
to trade or barter. This is a single longish poem by Kurt, a walk 
through an Arab neighborhood that uncovers a lot of intolerance 
cutting both ways. (M-12)(MG) 
kkkkk 
Orion, KID SHMUCK ($1 from Ken DiMaggio, 209 Avenue M 
Apt #1, Brooklyn, NY 11230): A plotless story or better yet a character 
sketch of an antisocial person referred to as Kid Shmuck. The author 
met the Kid and kinda looked up to him as a guru. The writing 
strains a little too hard to be eloquent: “The amorphity of his 
elusiveness knows no bounds, but yet is shackled and fettered as 
though it is being watched guardedly for being the most dangerous 
bondage slave in the black market trade.” If this is a parody, I’m 
lost. (HL-6)(pj) 


kk kkk 

Shane Paul, MUTILATIONS ($1 (?) from PO Box 14450, Phoenix, 
AZ 85063): A chapbook of 25 short poems, also available thru Lainie’s 
Oyster Publications. The author expends the most effort on 
interpersonal topics. Generally, these works are ankle-deep and 
lifeless. But there’s some sparks in unpredictable places: “Pelvic 
thrusts/Are like ‘Fish’ saying/Jesus, Jesus save me from/These breast 
fed babies (sic).” Well, it’s a little spark. (D-24)(pj) 


kkk 
THE PLASTIC TOWER #1 ($2.50 from PO Box 702, Bowie, 
MD20715): The premier issue of a quarterly poetry journal. 
Established and unpublished poets are welcome, with no limitations 
on style as long it’s quality work. The poems struck me as 
mechanically sound but ultimately unexciting, despite a few works 
from well-published poets. The graphics were even more plain. (D-32 


(Pi) 

kkkkk 

POETRY MOTEL #15 ($5 from Suburban Wilderness Press, 1619 

Jefferson, Duluth, MN 55812): The MOTEL is back, and editor Pat 
McKinnon has put together a fine bunch of edgy guests for the 
return issue. Miles David Moore pays tribute to another gutsy poet 
with “Todd Moore Sd”, while McKinnon himself rants about a world 
in which you can’t recite poetry and smoker reefer but it’s alright 
to get drunk and watch slasher movies. There’;s some short stories 
too, .of which Willie Smith’s “Witness” is the most gonzo. 
(HL-48)(MG) 

kkkke 


POETRY? NOTICE #1 (2 stamps from Matthew Butler, PO Box 
935, Fairview, NC 28730-0935): A somewhat hermetic journal of 
poetry, put together by pasting up a variety of handwritten and 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


typed originals that seem for the most part to be trying to desperately 
get feelings out from behind their shell of anonymity. The poets 
here tend to be introspective and even downbeat. Looking for more 


work. (D-20)(MG) 
kkkkk 


THE POETRY PROJECT #134-135 (At least $20/yr contribution 
from The Poetry Project, St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, 2nd Ave 
& 10th St, NY, NY 10003): The quarterly newsletter of a relatively 
well-funded organization promoting poetry from the bowels of 
Manhattan. Despite the “establishment” ring, there is some fine art 
here, and loads of information. These people seem to be organizing 
lectures and readings. Suggested for those in NYC area. (S-32)(pj) 


kkkkk 

POKED WITH STICKS III ($2 from Stephen E. Toth, 3147 Douglas 
Rd., Toledo, OH 43606): A mini of edgy poetry with lots of sex 
and a bit of death. The writers here don’t intellectualize or gush, 
they just examine and describe, and try to get out the fact that 
poetry doesn’t have to be highfdalutin’ to be worth reading. Mostly 
the succeed. This issue includes interesting work from Lynne Walker, 
Joel Lipman and non-White Boy poems from Paul Weinman. 


(M-40r)(MG) 
tothe 


REFLEKTION #5 ($1 (?) from Kera, 7824 Pebblebrook Circle, 
Hanover Park, IL 60103): Poetry journal containing novice work. 
Some startling graphics, such as “Portrait of K.X.” by Ilme. However, 
the photocopies of the photographs didn’t cut it. A place for young 
beginners. (D-24)(pj) 

kkkkk 

SCRATCH ONE (£1.25 from Mark Robinson, 24 Nelson Street, 
The Groves, York, YO3 7NJ, UK): Mark is aiming to make this be 
something other than just another safe poetry magazine, urging his 
writers to go beyond, whether in form (as with “Half-Life: 
Dungeness” by Derek Humphries) or in content (for example, Virgil 
Mihaiu’s “Extenuating Circumstances”. This first issue has quite a 
good range of work and bodes well for the future. Mark also wants 
to hear from marginalized poets from the U.S. (A5-40)(MG) 


kkk 
SEPARATE THE SEA FROM YOUR LAUGHTER ($1 from Peter 
Mantis, 123 Stonewall #4, Memphis, TN 38104): A collection of 
“Eye-poems” by Peter. These are collages of mass media images, 
headline, clippings and the occasional original typed line, with 
highlights in various color markers. The twentieth century as run 
through a food processor. (D-12)(MG) 


kkkkk 
A. Smith, HOW TO KILL A COP ($2.50 from Andrew Smith 
c/o Swain, PO Box 976, Adelphi, MD 20783): This mini-chapbook 
fairly pulsates with rage, although the author's complaints are not 
100% clear. It is however clear that he doesn’t think much of modern 
society, with gentrification and neighborhood breakdown and 
education that consists mostly of teaching kids to sit still and shut 
up. (M-30t)(MG) 
kkkkk 
Stacey Sollfrey, TURNING SIGHTS IN A CIRCULAR 
DRIVEWAY ($3 from Runaway Spoon Press, PO Box 3621, Port 
Charlotte, FL 33949): Stacey writes poetry very much in the feel of 
her title, with words and concepts tripping over one another, running 
together, and melding into kaleidoscope views of the world. They 
start with everyday objects but end up as fantastic images, showing 
off a poetic imagination that sees the world as it isn;t and probably 
never could be. Comes with an introduction by John Bennett. 


(M-32t)(MG) 
tte tok ke 


STAR*LINE ($1 from 2012 Pyle Rd., Schenectady, NY 12303): 
The newsletter of the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Perhaps 
half the content is poems. The rest is made up of debates over the 
shape of the genre, market news, announcements of prizewinners, 
letters, and pleas from the editor for more participation. Still, the 
poems here are good ones, and the editing is done with care. 


(D-18t)(MG) 
toto tok 


Russ Stedman, THE PROGRESSION OF DEPRESSION ($2.50 
from 311 1/2 N. Main #301, Mitchell, $.D. 57301): Each poem 
apparently gets its title from the date it was written, the first being 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


“Jan 20, 1987” and the last “Nov 19, 1987.” These are a choppy 
chronicle of a love gone sour. Much of this is trite, stumbling rhyme. 
No new perspective or angle is found on this rich topic. Hopefully 
the catharsis was beneficial for the author. (S-22)(pj) 


kkkkk 
Lamont B. Steptoe, CRIMSON RIVER ($2 (?) from PO Box 109, 
Camden, NJ 08101): A reprint of a previously published chapbook 
with new and selected works by the author. Years of racial 
discrimination against Blacks inspire Steptoe in creative ways. This 
opens with a poetic message to his nephew: after the 1st time he 
is called “Nigger” he will see life so clearly in an instant that only 
when he sees God will his vision ever be so good again. Later, in 
a tribute to Jesse Owens: “They say, you died, but naw/you just 
movin’ so fast they can’t see you no more...1” Don’t expect to be 
impressed by any fancy layout or glossy cover, just expect a few 

accurate blows to the heart. (O-18)(pj) 


kk kkk 

Belinda Subraman & Lyn Lifshin, THE JESUIT POEMS ($2 from 
Cheryl Townsend, 4975 Comanche Trail, Stow, OH 44224): The 
themes and styles of both authors in this chapbook are similar. 
Almost every poem returns to this image of a horny priest who’s 
preoccupied with women and their body hair. Presented in free 
verse, these poems deliver at a political level, but their repetitive 
nature ultimately detracts from the erotic impact. (D-23)(pj) 


tk kkk 
Suzanne, IT’S NOT NOAH’S ARK YOU KNOW, YOU CAN 
COME ALONE ($1 from Dancing Fish Press, 2-381 Roncesvalles 
Ave., Toronto, ONT, M6R 2M8, CANADA): Simple, unpretentious 
poetry that cuts close to the bone. Suzanne writes about loneliness, 
about the troubles of being female in a male scene, about bits of 
encounters with people in the world. A still but strong voice. 
(D-32t)(MG) 
kkkkk 
SWAMP ROOT Vol 1 #4 ($5 from Route 2, Box 1098, Hiwassee 
One, Jacksboro, TN 37757): Really impressive poetry journal. with 
photos, collages, letters, and reviews. Mary Hanford’s poetry was 
featured in this issue; the topics focused loosely on African peoples 
and places. Louis McKee’s critical analysis of Lifshin’s contribution 
to poetry called “Madonna All Over the Place” was insightful and 
enjoyable reading. (d-85)(pj) 
tk kkk 
Chuck Taylor, SONG OF RISING CONSCIOUSNESS POEM 
OF ANIMAL RIGHTS ($2 (?) from Slough Press, PO Box 1385, 
Austin, TX 78767): Chuck reflects on his own history working in 
the dog lab of a major hospital as janitor and general helper, and 
tries to connect this forward with the animal rights movement. He 
does see a rise of consciousness, an increased hope that we can 
learn to live in harmony with other creatures. The message is 
certainly not prettified, and his tale is both hopeful and horrifying. 
(HS-24)(MG) 
kk kkk 
Kent Taylor, LATE NIGHT SHOW AT THE STARLIGHT 
LAUNDRY ($1.50 from Black Rabbit Press, 4115 E. 81, Cleveland, 
OH 44105): Quiet, halting poems that seem like they best fit late 
at night near the center of a small city. “some ghosts/I buried/to 
survive/have become necessities”, reflects the poet, learning that the 
past is worth keeping even when it wasn;t worth living. (D-20)(MG) 


kkk kk 

TRAMP #7 ($3 from Alan Howard, PO Box 1386, Columbia, SC 
29202-1386): A zine that consistently publishes some of the best 
poets working this scene today, and also new voices that should 
join them—for example, Steve Sibra, with an outraged poem in this 
issue, is new to me but I hope to see more of his work. Bigger 
names include Judson Crews, Bill Shields (with more of his shuddery 
Namvet poetry) and opener Gerald Locklin. (D-28)(MG) 


kk kkk 

James H. Trott, THE BIG LIGHTS ($4 from New Hope 
International, 23 Gambrell Bank Road, Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire, 
SK14 5NL, UK): Trott is a Montana poet, and perhaps it is only in 
a place like Montana that the variety of light in the sky could 
command so much attention, without competition from other things. 
He write of starlight and sunlight’s changing moods, of rainbows 
and auroras, in no hurry to get out of one poem and into the next. 


Poetry Reviews 73 


Rather, Trott reflects on what the world looks like to him, underneath 
the big lights. (A5-28)(MG) 
kk kkk 

Jason Underground, I DON’T MIND RUINING SOMEBODY'S 
DAY IF IT CHANGES THE REST OF THEIR LIFE ($2 (?) from 
2795 Via Vela, Camarillo, CA 93010): Many of the poems here were 
inspired by a trip Jason took to Eastern Europe, and were written 
there. The main theme seems to be an attempt to reconcile a world 
with problems to a faith in a good God. Very introspective, moody 
stuff with a core of inner strength. (D-32)(MG) 


tok kkk 

Jason Underground, IF I WERE A GIRL I WOULDN'T ALLOW 
MYSELF TO LOOK LIKE ONE, SO YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA, 
DO YOU? (§2 (?) from 2795 Via Vela, Camarillo, CA 93010): Mostly 
love poems by Jason, about being in high school and growing up 
and having a special person to turn to. The anti-abortion poem here 
will tum some folks off, but I found his works well worth reading. 
Shows a lot of promise for future work. (D-24)(MG) 


kkkkk 

Nico Vassilakis, BUS ($2.50 from Robert Drake, Burning Press, 
PO Box 18817, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118): A minizine of poetry 
that seems to lack boundaries; the thoughts fly along and off the 
page so fast it seems as if the words will follow. Vassilakis doesn’t 
bludgeon the reader into thinking one particular way, but uses 
language to. open up possibilities. “there must grow a fruit/that I 
can eat/to tell the future in one bite” runs one passage. (M-24t)(MG) 


tk kkk 
Carla Vogel, UNREQUITED (50¢ CASH/stamps from D. Craig, 
2157 Seaman Ct., Herndon, VA 22070): A selection of love poems 
and erotica that tend to focus on one particular detail to the point 
of near-obsession—sort of the way real love seems to work 
sometimes. Pretty teeth, a CB handle, black stockings; all of these 
are the bits from which a dream is constructed. (D-16)(MG) 


tokio 
Fred Voss, SURVIVOR ($3 from Keith A. Dodson, Guillotine 
press, PO Box 2730, Long Beach, CA 90801): Great working-class 
Poetry from a guy who’s provoked a lot of other favorable comments. 
Voss starts this chapbook (a special issue of GUTS magazine) with 
poems of recreation—getting drunk, shooting pool, playing softball 
with the guys. Then he slides into the machine shop, punching 
holes in the veneer of professional responsibility that hides 
exploitation, dopey foremen, and slacking off. Get it, read it, you'll 
enjoy it. (D-28)(MG) 
wk kkk 
Ken Wagner, SOLID STEEL SHELL ($.50 from 511 W. Sullivan, 
Olean, NY 14760): One long poem with an unsettling pencil sketch 
on the last page. The theme is similar to “The Wall” in that the 
author points out how people, including himself, hide behind artificial 
barriers. Although the idea seems fruitful, I didn’t care much for 
the writing: “i ran round in swift circles/inside my steel shell/eyes 
locked in/almost saw....” No energy. (M-15)(pj) 


kk kkk 
William Wantling, NORMAL’S SUN ($2 from Black Rabbit Press, 
4115 E. 81, Cleveland, OH 44105): Gut-hitting poems from a poet 
who’s been through Vietnam and drugs and San Quentin and still 
maintained the ability to look at the world and rage about injustice. 
There are some quick sketches of prison violence here, some lighter 
moments on the outside, and what could be the definitive explanation 
of why prison poems are important rather than exploitation. 
(D-16)(MG) 
khkkk 
Paul Weinman, BANANA STRANGLES VICTIM ($1 from 79 
Cottage Ave., Albany, NY 12203): Postnuclear erotic poetry, one of 
the closest matings of sex and death I’ve seen lately. The biological 
urge continues, at least in the males, long after the world has turned 
to slok. Paul succeeds in making this an even more jittery experience 
by headline collages and a layout that forces constant turning of 
the book. (D-20)MG) 


kKkkke 
Paul Weinman, TASTEBUDS IN BED ($1 from 79 Cottage Ave., 
Albany, NY 12203): A  selectic. of poetry from Paul thrown 
helter-skelter on to the page amidst collaged titles and illustrations. 
This is sexy, even erotic stuff, with a sort of breathless pulse and 





74 Poetry Reviews 


rhythm that’s faster than his usual, more sardonic voice. The images 
are ay 3 and mutant, however, so it’s not just another book of 
slippery friction. (D-20)(MG) 
Kk kkk 

Paul Weinman, WE BROKE THEIR HANDS AWAY ($1.50 from 
Seth Tisue, PO Box 1083, Wheaton, IL 60189): Strange packed poems, 
much denser than Weinman’s usual skeletal style. These poems are 
almost alchemical in their density, combining human action and 
nature and food and technology into a sort of mosaic where the 
whole means more than the sum of the parts. The final effect is 
one of sleepwalking, alienated humans in a world they neither 
understand nor control. (D-20t)(MG) 


te tok ik 
Paul Weinman, WHITE BOY 6 PK (SASE (?) from 79 Cottage 
Ave., Albany, NY 12203): Six White Boy poems on a sheet of paper 
cut to fold into a box with the proportions of a six-pack of beer. 
Naturally the poems deal with drinking, mostly with White Boy’s 
attempts to match up what he’s seen in beer commercials with what 
actually goes on. (S-1r)(MG) 


tk kik 

Sigmund Weiss, LOVE POEMS TO DORA ($1 from 11 Lancaster 
Place, Stony Brook, NY 11790): A chapbook of love poems from 
husband to wife, printed by the author’s daughter to celebrate his 
85th birthday. The voice in these poems is one of blind, unending 
devotion; one that searches for words/images that no doubt must 
always fall short of the emotion: “Dora, Dora, come to me./Touch 
me though ghost you be/within that ether far from me.” (D-22)(pj) 


kkk kk 
Richard Wilmarth, EN LA HABANA VIEJA ($1 from 2553 
Kingstown Rd., Kingston, RI 02881): A set of poems, all with the 
same title as the chapbook itself, set in post-revolutionary Cuba. 
While there are a few that are wistful love poems, the majority look 
at the people and their lives, with the poet trying to decide if it 
was worth it. The answer, as with so many others, seems to depend 

on one’s place in society. (D-10)(MG) 

kkkkk 
W.E. Wyatt, POEMS OF W.E. WYATT ($1 from Tom Kryss, 
Black Rabbit Press, 4115 E. 81, Cleveland, OH 44105): As with the 
other Black Rabbit chaps, this features mimeographed leaves stapled 
inside a harder covver with artowrk on it. Wyatt writes in a sort 
of drunken semi-Buddhist young man’s mode, trying to understand 


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FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


the world but not trying too hard lest he lose sight of the fun he’s 
having. American haiku. (D-8)(MG) 


tet ke tek 
YOUR ELBOW #1 ($2 (?) from Kim Koch, 2205 California St., 
Suite 204, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55418): A journal of poetry, 
including some translated poems and some graphics. The sharp 
layout deserves mention; likewise, the graphics all had this “shock” 
quality to them, their dot-matrix effect notwithstanding. No real 
pattern to the poetry, but here’s some lines from “Misperception” 
by E. Schlaeger as a sampling: “A generator fan/sliced through my 
abdomen,/or was that a horsefly with an axe/in the midday sun?” 

(S-40t)(pj) 

tokottok 
YOUR ELBOW #2 ($2 (?) from 2205 California St. NE #204, 
Minneapolis, MN 55418): Electric-technic modern poetry with a charge 
like sticking your finger in a light socket and a flashy desktop 
published layout to match. Check out Paul Bernhardt’s “The Artiste” 
which tackles the meaninglessness of literature in modern life, or 
A. Razor's phallic-shaped “Patriotic”, leaping for the jugular of the 
American dream. Lots of cool photos and graphics too. (S-42t)(MG) 


tok kkk 


POETRY NOTES 

e@CHIRON REVIEW (Rt. 2 Box 111, St. John, KS 67576) has 
announced their 1990 poetry contest. Top prize $100, entry fee $4 
per poet up to 6 poems, SASE for details. 

e@McOne Press (PO Box 50174, Austin, TX 78763) is looking for 
submissions for various chapbooks, and “caffiene stimulated” work 
for the next issue of CITY RANT. 

eThe St. Clark’s Anti-Poetry Project (Gail Schilke, 163 Ludlow 
St. #2C, New York, NY 10002) is a way for prison poets to be 
heard. They link incarcerated poets up with freeworld poets, so that 
words and ideas can be exchanged and ultimately the works will 
be read. Video and magazine records are planned for the future. 

e@WYRD (David, 91 Cliveden Avenue, Perry Barr, Birmingham, 
B42 1SW, UK): This is a new magazine looking for “carefully crafted 
poetry”, with an April 20 deadline for their debut issue. Send up 
to 3 poems with a few sentences about yourself and an SASE for 


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FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Pamphlet Reviews 75: 
a8: AM these folks, slapped between nice artistic screened covers. Contents 
u 3 oe P PHLETS, include news on a rash of sewer deaths in Dallas, comments on 

pee LEAFLETS, the foibles of various cities (Canadian and US), and comics. They 
Hen BOOKLETS also pick on the larger media for doing their share of lying. (D-20t) 
sf z: 
tok ok 
AND OTHER Kerr Cuhulain, LAW ENFORCEMENT GUIDE TO WICCA ($10. 
ONE-SHOTS from CultWatch Response, PO Box 1842, Colorado Springs, CO 


(perfect bound items 
are generally listed in the 
BOOKS section) 





{WAS ($1 (?) from Jannathan Falling Long, 4311 Coxey Brown 
Rd., Myersville,, MD 21773): A confusing collection of xerographic 
art and collage, full of images from modern culture—technology, 
security, sex, play, food, they’re all here. The result is a barrage of 
images, all the media you normally absorb in a day compressed 
into just a few pages. Profoundly disorienting. (D-32) 


tok kk 

Kurt Beaulieu, WHY THE ART STRIKE WON’T WORK! 
(FORTUUNATELY) (Trade from 4230 Pierre-de-Coubertin #5, 
Montreal, QC, HiV 1V4, CANADA): A pamphlet in cartoon form 
poking fun at the Art Strike. Kurt explains that galleries will just 
find other people to be artists, and artists will just have to find 
other things to do, so the most to hope for is one elite being 
replaced by another. (5-2) 


tok 

Clif Bennett, ABDUCTION OF THE QUEEN ($3 from RR2, 
RR estone ONT, LOL 1T0, CANADA): An essay subtitled “Notes 
on the suppression of the old religion”. Bennett actually ranges a 
good deal wider than that title would suggest, from chess to the 
troubadors to the rise of self-flagellation in monasteries to population 
explosions in medieval society. More of a tour through the material 
than a sharply-directed journey, this essay helps bring about a holistic 
appreciation of the major changes sponsored by the Catholic Church 

which are only recently coming to light. (S-20t) 


tok kkk 

Joel Biroco, YIP-I-ADDY-I-AY! (Herculaneum Press, BM Utopia, 
London, WCIN 3XX, UK): Herculaneum is Joel’s own letterpress 
imprint, and this book is a work of art: handset type, fine paper, 
a linocut bound in, marbled jacket, hand binding. It’s a limited 
edition essay about dreams and ideals and how they get washed 
out of us, and would probably be most available in trade for other 
hand press items. (D-8t) 


tok totok 
Charles L. Black, Jr., LET US RETHINK OUR “SPECIAL 
RELATIONSHIP” WITH ISRAEL ($2.50 from JCOME, PO Box 18367, 
Washington, DC 20036): JCOME stands for Jewish Committee On 
The Middle East, and Black is an emeritus Professor of Law at Yale. 
His argument here is simple—that we would be appalled at any 
other nation that was gunning down demonstrators as fast as Israel 
is in opposing the Intifada, and that the US has no business propping 
up a regime prepared to shed blood this wantonly. I must’ agree 
with him; but then, I’m an anarchist, and don’t really want to see 
any governments propped up. (D-22t) 
Kk kkk 
Stephen Daniel Callahan, ELEMENTS ($2 from 28 Lefurgy Ave., 
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706): A collection of aphorisms and 
ruminations, 105 of them in all. For example, there’s number XLII: 
“One must often do questionable acts to get indubitable results”. 
There’s some wisdom in this hand-sewn chapbook, and some that 
just don’t touch me at all. (D-24) 


tok kk 
CITY OF LIES ($1 from Maga, PO Box 6704, Stn. A, Toronto, 
ONT, M5W 1X5, CANADA): Another enigmatic little pamphlet from 








80901): Written by a practicing Wiccan who is also a policeman, this 
one is intended to help law enforcement professionals sort fact from 
fiction in the current climate of confusion between the occult and 
paganism. Cuhulain provides an explanation of basic pagan beliefs, 
differentiates Wicca from Satanism, and tries to calm down an 
explosive situation. Includes a glossary and extensive bibliography. 
(S-33t) 


toto 

Denise Dee, CERTAIN COMFORT ($1 CASH from 29A Guy 
Pl., San Francisco, CA 94105): More stories and glimpses of Denise’s 
life. In this slim booklet she writes of the help friends are in 
recovering from shock and the dimensions of being wanted, from 
her mother’s cabbage soup to just being with someone and feeling 
that things are right. Somehow her simple words seem to capture 
feelings better than those of most anyone else. (D-8) 


tok k tok 

Tim Donovan, A NEW THEORY OF DINOSAUR EXTINCTION 
($3 from 7 Ashland St., Manchester, CT 06040-35011): Tim’s proposal 
is basically that .an arms race in which defense was too expensive 
doomed the dinosaurs, as the Tyrannosaurs wiped out their prey 
and then starved themselves. To his credit, he does not draw modern 
moral analogies from this. Rather, he sets out some possible . 
objections to his theory and answers them. I find the argument at 
least plausible, but then, ’m no paleontologist. . 


tokokotok 
DRAWINGS ($3 CASH/MO from A.C. Samish, 2118 Guadalupe 
#191, Austin, TX 78705): Samish draws scantily-clad women in leather 
and PVC, deranged men, and lots of railroads and unfathomable 
machines. Here these things combine into an incoherent storyline, 
with lightning changes of direction on each new page and no very 
satisfactory ending. Bizarre and different form anything else. (L-20) 


otto ke 

Lloyd Dunn, INBETWEENING ($3 from Runaway Spoon Press, 
#0 Box 3621, Port Charlotte, FL 33949): Excerpts from an animated 
xerographic film, now captured as a chapbook. This is the title 
‘Sequence, in which the name of the work is presented one letter 
at a time. The trick is that it’s all the same letter, metamorphizing 
from “I” to “N” to “B” and so on. Along the way graphic elements 
twist and turn and burst, go from two dimensions to three and 
back again, and otherwise refuse to be well-behaved. (M-56) 


took kk 

Greg Evason, NOTES FROM THE RED BOOK ($2 (?) from 90 
Carden St. #115, Guelph, ONT, N1H 3A3, CANADA): Subtitled “a 
job in progress”, this one is 211 numbered thoughts, somewhere - 
between aphorisms and reminders from a daybook. Check out #96 
“A novel is a large page” or #148 “Writing is a function & not an 
activity”. Don’t get the wrong impression, it’s not all about writing: 
#113 “The skate, a cold nest of nests with packets of tea broken in 
the light. She makes wheat breathe.” (D-32) 


tok tok 

THE EXPANDABLE CONGRESS IS A JOKE BOOK ($3 
CASH/Postal MO for 10 copies from James Hazel, PO Box 1445, 
Hillsboro, OR 97123): This is a project of the “Silent Revolt - Reelect 
Nobody” campaign. It’s sort of like a collection of ethnic jokes, but 
with the Congress as the butt of them all. For example: “Q. What 
happens when a congressman stops lying? A. He’s voted out of 
office!” (M-8t) : 


kk kkk 

FESTIVAL OF PLAGIARISM ($3 from Stephen Perkins, / 
Plagiarist Press, 1031 York St., San Francisco, CA 94110): Actually, 
the title should probably be plural, as this contains accounts of 
several Plagiarist festivals in 1988 and 1989. It’s a mix of theory, 
plagiarized art, history, and bibliography, with the latter being 
especially nice to see. Xerox art rubs up against reasons why it is 
good (or, in some cases, bad—they print critiques of the concept 
as well). (HS-40t) * 


76 Pamphlet Reviews 


kk kkk 
M. Jamison, NOSESPRAY GAMES (SASE from Margaret 
Jamison Pamphlets, 304 E. 16th, Houston, TX 77008): A minizine 
that starts off with a young lady complaining about her brother 
stuffing her M&Ms up his nose and goes on from there. It’s pretty 
rambling, reminding me of Al Ackerman’s writing, though perhaps 
just a touch less horrifying. (M-8) 
kkkkk 
THE JURY HANDBOOK ($1 CASH/Postal MO from James Hazel, 
PO Box 1445, Hillsboro, OR 97123): The purpose of this booklet is 
quite simple: to instruct prospective jurors in the theory of jury 
nullification, the idea that both the facts and the law are open to 
the jury’s interpretation. In the past, this has been a powerful avenue 
for fighting unjust laws, and while a lot of modern jurists view it 
with suspicion, as far as I know the avenue of opportunity is still 
there. A civics lesson for the resistance-minded, well-written with 
the minimum necessary of legal citations. (M-39t) 


tok kkk 
Allen Koszowski, MIDNIGHT BRUSHSTROKES ($10 from 
Nocturnal Publications, 1591 Taylor St. #4, St. Paul, MN 55104): A 
portfolio of ten high-quality prints from this prolific illustrator of 
horror stories. Koszowski presents both traditional material (the stake 
through the heart) and new wave gore (the brain bursting out of 
the head) in his dark and excellent work. (D-10) 


kkk 

Vince Lisella, PROPAGANDA IN HELL (22¢ & a stamp from 
Geof Huth, 225 State St/. #451, Schenectady, NY 12305): In 
rubber-stamping, strange computer fonts, and some hand alteration, 
this tells the story of a hellish graffiti artist attacking God’s edicts. 
Lisella identifies this as a “Cautionary Pamphlet of the Chemung 
County Geodesic Society for the Preservation & Proliferation of Mark 
Twain”, a title rather longer than the colorful work itself. (M-4) 


kkkkk 
Roy Lisker, LISTEN... ($3 from 152 Kisor Rd., Highland, NY 
12528): The subtitle here is “3 Composers in Historical Perspective: 
Bach, Handel & Mozart.” In separate essays Lisker sets each of 
these three into the context of the political scene of their times, 
considering the external influences on their music and its acceptance. 
It's an approach that makes sense to me, and although I’m not 
qualified to evaluate his arguments, he writes well and makes his 
points with plenty of evidence. (D-40r) 
kkk 
Scott MacLeod, CRIMES OF PASSION ($2 from 2261 Market 
St. #307, San Francisco, CA 94114-1693): A collage of pictures and 
clippings that get into the sordid side of love—or, perhaps more 
precisely, the aftermath of love breaking up. Much of this stuff is 
downright nasty, with bodies in beds and blood smeared around, 
but done in a stark style that really isn’t too graphic. (D-16) 


kkkkk 

Scott MacLeod, THE DRUNKEN JUNGLE ($2 from 2261 Market 
St. #307, San Francisco, CA 94114-1693): A script in three voices 
which has been presented as a live performance and a radio reading. 
It’s an exploration of the relations between a jungle missionary, his 
wife, and a European doctor, which seems to devolve into delirium 
on several parts. Isolated in the microcosm the effects of macrocosmic 
society slowly dissolve. (D-12r) 


kkkkk 

Scott MacLeod, THE HORRORS OF LOVE (§2 from 2261 Market 
St. #307, San Francisco, CA 94114-1693): Scott here adopts a method 
of writing that has been used by various language poets: he takes 
a book (which one I cannot tell) and obliterates all but a few words 
on each page. Thus the reader is presented with an incomplete 
skeleton of the work, which obviously involves a cynical attitude 
towards a love affair. But trying to deduce what lies on the original 
page below the darkness is pretty well impossible. (D-32) 


kkkkk 
Scott MacLeod, PENETRATING DEEPLY TO REPLENISH ($2 
from 2261 Market St. #307, San Francisco, CA 94114-1693): This is 
a pretty bleak view of the world, in pictures and words lifted from 
a variety of sources. There’s a variety of gory deaths, children being 
perverted by an authoritarian society, and the hopelessness of human 
relationships. I read it as a collage of the bad effects of social control, 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


but I may be reading that into it based on my own prejudices. 
(D-36) 
kk kkk 

Lee Markosian, DEAR DIARY ($2 from 415 Capp St., San 
Francisco, CA 94110): These diary excerpts cover a period in 
September and October 1987 when Lee was trekking in the 
Himalayas—more specifically, circumnavigating Annapurna. It’s a 
fairly interesting journal, replete not with big thoughts about the 
grandeur of the world (though there is some of that) but with little 
ones about passing the time, surviving at high altitudes, and bowel 
movements (a major concern). I don’t expect to ever go to the 
Himalayas myself, and I found this vicarious experience to be quite 
sufficient. (D-68t) 

tok totkok 

Stephen-Paul Martin, ADVANCINGreceding ($3 from Runaway 
Spoon Press, PO Box 3621, Port Charlotte, FL 33949): Is it art or is 
it text? Both, I suppose, and a paper movie as well. There are two 
texts here: a loop of “ADVANCING INTO THE SPACE IT MAKES 
BY ADVANCING...” and one of “receding into the space it makes 
by receding”. These texts, along with lines and bars composed of 
type symbols, wipe across the page in a series of dissolves from 
upper left to lower right, in an eternal cycle. Fun to play with and 
puzzle over. (M-25) 


ttk kok 
Thom Metzger, DO THE DO (50¢ from PO Box 25193, Rochester, 
NY 14625): “A prophesy revealed to: Thom Metzger”, this one starts 
with Biblical verses from Genesis and Revelations and expands on 
them in a sort of bebop style. Thom ties together images of the 
Earth Mother with worship by Onan, the rage of the whore of 
Babylon, and who knows what else. Pretty obscure. (M-8t) 


kkk kk 

Rowan Moonstone, THE ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN ($1 from 
CultWatch Response, PO Box 1842, Colrado Springs, CO 80901-1842): 
This is a response to all the Christian and other fanatics who believe 
that Halloween is some sort of Wiccan blood sacrifice holiday. 
Moonstone has gone back to sources more reputable than the World 
Book in an attempt to sort out the actual Celtic practice, and reports 
here on what she learned—with references. (D-8r) 


Lehahetefio’ 

Janos Nehek, THE INFINITE EGRESS OF YOU & BECOME 
AN URBAN SHAMAN! ($1.50 for both from Box 1348, 41 Sutter 
St., San Francisco, CA 94104): Two attempts at a critique of New 
Age thinking, one rather dense and serious, the second lighthearted. 
The first, recently reprinted in ANARCHY, pulls together a lot of 
sources to dump on the New Agers for being foolishly optimistic; 
the second ribs the faddishness for ancient ways in modern industrial 
society. A list of references for further reading is also thrown in. 
(D-12t & S-2t) 


kk kkk 
NOT GUILTY ($1 (?) from 5 Star Press, PO Box 4167, Halfmoon, 
NY 12065): The latest summary of the case of Michael J. Stotts, who 
is currently serving prison time for escape and extortion. He claims 
he was framed by the Feds out of vindictiveness for previous 
incidents, and is appealing the conviction and looking for public 
support. Dates of news stories and the case number for the trial 
are given, so that readers can follow up and make their own 
decisions. (D-20t) 
tohk kk 
John Ohliger, THE ECOLOGY OF EDUCATION ($5 from Basic 
Choices, 730 W. Jefferson #1, Springfield, IL 62702): This is a 
one-page essay with 34 pages of notes and annotations—Ohliger 
hands out big chunks of works he’s found useful in molding his 
own thoughts, resulting in a romp through his bookcase. The essay 
itself looks at the current furor over education reform, concluding 
(1) Such reform is no panacea; (2) Adult and continuing education 
must be considered as part of the educational ecosystem; and (3) a 
return to human scale is long overdue. (S-35) 


kkk kk 
John Ohliger, THE MILLENNIUM SURVIVAL KIT ($10 from 
Basic Choices, 730 W. Jefferson #1, Springfield, IL 62702): An essay 
by John on the millenial frenzy that’s already building up, and what 
adult educators can do to perhaps defuse some of the worst aspects 
of it. As with all his work, the endnotes are the meatiest part, with 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


plenty of thoughts on time, our relationship to it, and what we can 
do to make this relationship more sensible. I must confess that even 
I’m feeling twinges of millennial fervor these days; this spiral-bound 
book is a good antidote. (S-60) 


kkk kk 

John Ohliger, RADICAL IDEAS IN ADULT EDUCATION ($5 
from Basic Choices, 730 W. Jefferson #1, Springfield, IL 62702): An 
annotated bibliography of people who have been trying to get to 
the roots of adult ed, and calling for change to make a better society. 
John organizes this well, and the list of references here would suffice 
to launch a whole new field of study for anyone interested. For 
$15, you can follow this up with a 195-page syllabus organizing 
these ideas further. (S-42) 


Kkkkk 
PAGAN RESOURCES BOOK ($7.85 from Victor Brotte, Pagan 
Free Press, PO Box 55223, Tulsa, OK 74155): A collection of resources 
for the pagan in the United States. It starts out with a lengthy 
listing of newsletters and other publications. There are sections on 
schools, items of interest available through the mail, and stores and 
shops. There’s also a personal networking section in the back. (S-40) 


tok kkk 

Phil Paine, ANOTHER WALL BITES THE DUST ($4 from D.S. 
Black, 537 Jones St. #9156, San Francisco, CA 94102): Paine examines 
the world situation in the light of the Berlin Wall tumbling down, 
and he’s not utterly pleased by what he sees. To some, this will 
come as a sort of “The Emperor Has No Clothes” booklet; we 
already know that the leaders in Russia, the US, and Nicaragua are 
thugs, that traditional conservatives and traditional liberals have little 
interest in freedom. But Paine has a great writing style, and his 
slightly cranky rant brings out the true face of government well. 
Apart from his somewhat mystical belief in natural rights and 
democracy, I find a lot to agree with here. (D-34t) 


Kk kkk 
Charles Platt, CHRISTMAS CAROLS FOR ATHEISTS ($1/2 copies 
from 9 Patchin Pl., New York, NY 10011): Charles doesn’t think 
much of Christianity, or of Christmas. These carols are rewritten to 
emphasize things like “Christ the Fraud” or the exploitative nature 
of Bad King Wenceslas. Most people would probably be shocked at 
their blasphemy. (D-8t) 
tk kk 
PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA ($5 Postal MO ONLY from Trevor, PO 
Box 23061, Knoxville, TN 37933-1061): A new reprint edition of this 
classic of Discordian propaganda, containing everything from the 
original. This is the mystical text we Discordians are always referring 
to to perplex our enemies and reaffirm our faith in the primal 
disorder. If you haven’t opened your mind to a new idea lately, 
you need to read this—and this edition, with a fine photo of Emperor 
Norton on the front, comes at a bargain price. (D-80) 


kkk kk 
REPORT ON HOW ALTERNATE I.D. IS OBTAINED ($10 


CASH/MO from harold, 1425 W. Southern #10-2-13, Tempe, AZ. 


85282): A short report on two ways to change your name and get 
identification in the new name. One is the old scam of using the 
name of someone who died young. The other is a means for using 
multiple legal name changes to lose a troublesome past. (S-6) 


KkkKK 

RESPECTING THE FLAG ($2.50 from’ Veterans Information 
Project, PO Box 662, Hillsborough, NH 03244): A collection of 
thoughts from members of Chapter #41 of the Vietnam Veterans of 
America. Unable to agree on a Chapter position on the Supreme 
Court decision on flagburning, they opened up a tape recorder and 
let all members have their say. There’s more folks here who would 
shoot flag burners than defend them, and some worthwhile words 
on patriotism, but the diversity is interesting too. Includes a copy 
of the Bill of Rights and the Flag Code. (D-31t) 


kkkkk 
Randy Russell, WORLD WITHOUT PEOPLE (50¢ from 1320 W. 
116th St. #9, Cleveland, OH 44102): A series of small sketched or 
vignettes, each describing a particular scene which, depite all the 
hallmarks of human activity, has no people in it. Randy prefaces 
this with an introduction about the neutron bomb, but it reads more 
like a writing class exercise than anything else. (M-16) 


totokk 


Pamphlet Reviews 77 


THIS IS YOUR INVITATION TO JOIN 
THE NATION-WIDE SILENT REVOLT! 


SILENT REVOLT is a fast-growing invisible army of Fed-up Americans who are dedicated 
to keeping the fruits of their labor, and restoring prosperity, true justice and individual liberty 
for all! i 


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There are no dues — no memberships — and no general organization! THE SILENT RE- 
VOLT is just a multitude of dedicated INDIVIDUALS — in touch with others, but operating 
independently while focusing minimal effort in a common direction that will-get the job 


done! 
Silent Revolt is for real — it is not another dead-end trail. 


THE SILENT REVOLT MOVEMENT can even put a few bucks into your pocket while you 
help yourself, your loved ones and your country. To get started in this exciting enterprise send 
$3 for our big, eye-popping Silent Revolt Information Packet. RSVP: 


James Hazel 
P.O. Box 1445 
Hillsboro, Oregon 97123 





SAMIZINE ($4 from Rayozine Studios, PO Box 291, Cooper 
Station, New York, NY 10276): The documentation of the Samizine 
art show held at Minor Injury Gallery in Brooklyn late last year. 
The forty pages here contain only a small fraction of the art that 
was on the walls, but they capture some of its manic spirit. Includes 
works by Michael Manning, Julie Doucet, Wayne Honath, Bob X, 
Mary Fleener, Chris Winkler, and dozens more of underground and 
marginal artists. (D-40) 

tok kkk 

Mavji K. Savia, A MANIFESTO OF PHILOSOPHY (Applied 
Philosophy Study Centre, N-45 Gandhidham, 370201, INDIA): This 
slim booklet is subtitled “A Search for Foundational Principles for 
Philosophico-Religious Systems”. The author presents his current 
thinking, admittedly incomplete, in the form of 33 “Sutras”, short 
statements and questions. He seems to be looking for a system 
which speaks to the basic living needs of man first and the higher 
spiritual needs later, and which is democratically available to 
everyone rather than an elite—thus leaving out most of today’s 
ideas. (D-16t) 


kkkkk 

THE SECRET SCREEN ($4 from D.S. Black c/o Atlantis Express, 
537 Jones St. #9156, San Francisco, CA 94102): A sort of parallel 
analysis of the 1988 e\Presidential election, collected by Art Tinnitus. 
It starts with a collage of Reagan headlines, and then moves into 
intellectual parodies of sound bites, campaign speeches, acceptance 
speeches, editorial endorsements and so on. In saying nothing with 
style these are scarcely distinguishable from the real thing except 
for their “we know it's all a scam” humor. Closes with some photos 
of anti-campaign posters and graffiti (my favorite: “Remove the rest 
of the asshole”) and then...Bush headlines. (S-34t) 


tok 
SELF-ACCEPTANCE ($3 & Age Statement from Roy Tompkins, 
PO Box 16022, Austin, TX 78761): A two-volume minicomic that 
“seriously reduces your chances of entering the gates of Heaven”. 
It’s a long barrage of obscenity and blasphemy, with Christ getting 
off, various crucified beings, busty women, hellfire and damnation 
preachers foaming at the mouth, and lots of other perversions. 
(M-88) 
kkk kk 
Clarence Shak, A MISTAKE OR A GREAT BIG RIP-OFF? (On 
Request from PO Box 15133, Honolulu, HI 96830): The latest 


78 Pamphlet Reviews 


explanation of Clarence’s “Crusade to Abolish Traffic Tickets” (as 
well as stop signs and red lights). His basic arguments are that 
traffic laws are illicit infringements of freedom, that they raise the 
collision rate anyhow, and that they’re designed to allow the 
overnment to run an extortion racket under the guise of traffic 
tickets. (D-16t) 


kk kkk 

SilverRaven, THE SHADOW PRIMER ($3 from Victor Brotte, 
Pagan Free Press, PO Box 55223, Tulsa, OK 74155): This is a very 
basic introduction to the Craft for those without a teacher handy 
(hence the name—it’s a mini-Book of Shadows). SilverRaven gives 
some ideas on getting started, including a list of equipment and 
some solitary initiation rituals, and encourages learning from there. 
(S-17t) 


kt kkk 
SLOGANS ARE CONDOMS ($3 from PO Box 5554, Stn. A, 
Toronto, ONT, M5W 1N7, CANADA): A book of starkly typeset 
slogans, one per page, things like “The action of categorization is 
the commodity” and “Terrorize structure through open space”. My 
copy came with a small button pinned to the front,captioned simply 
“Sold”. (D-12) 
kkk kk 
Sheila Smith, SHELF LIFE ($3 from 408 Queen St. W, Toronto, 
ONT, M5V 2A7, CANADA): A “performance piece in print” that 
effectively uses letter size and other effects of hand-printing to convey 
the rise and fall of emotions. Basically this is an indictment of the 
System that gets us all working away and never being able to think 
and supposedly enjoying us, told in a medley of aphorisms, cliches, 
and raging shouts. It’s good to get hit in the face with such an 
opposition view once in a while. (D-120) 


tok kk 
_ Gerald L. Sprouse, ARE THE HITLER DIARIES REAL OR FAKE? 
(50¢ & SASE from PO Box 830, Ooltewah, TN 37363): Gerald seems 
to delight in taking on the Establishment view of things, and this 
is no exception. He concludes that there are enough evidences of 
- truth that the Hitler diaries are real, but that they’re being suppressed 
by the Zionists. Low-key historical revisionism. (S-3) 

kakkk 

Gerald L. Sprouse, FROM THE LAW OF THE SIXGUN TO THE 

LAW WITH THE SIXGUN (50¢ & SASE from PO Box 830, Ooltewah, 
TN 37363): A short essay by Gerald in defense of anarchism. More 
precisely, it is a look at the situation in the Old West, before the 
law and courts arrived. According to Sprouse, this fits right in with 
the Heinlein adage “An armed society is a polite society.” (S-2) 

kk kkk 

Gerald L. Sprouse, JESUS WAS JUDAS (50¢ & SASE from PO 

Box 830, Ooltewah, TN 37363): Sprouse rehearses the argument that 
there is no historical evidence for Jesus, but then claims the existence 
of Judas bar Judas, a fanatical rebel of the same time period, was 
well-documented. He ascribes the transformation of this person into 
Jesus was part of a Jewish plot to destroy the Northern European 
racial heritage of religion. Maybe not anti-semitic, but pretty darned 
close. (S-2) 


Kkkkk 
Gerald L. Sprouse, STRANGE OCCURENCES (50¢ & SASE from 
PO Box 830, Ooltewah, TN 37363): This is in the form of chatty 
replies, possibly to letters or apazines. In any case, Gerald recounts 
a number of things—Sasquatch sightings, the Philadelphia experi- 
ment, strange magnetic effects, the dangers of Satanism—to show 
that the world is a stranger place than people give it credit for. 


(S-7) 
kkk kk 

Gerald L. Sprouse, WATCHING THE “H” BOMB (50¢ & SASE 
from PO Box 830, Ooltewah, TN 37363): Gerald argues, based on 
watching a number of tests from 58 miles away, that the H bomb 
is not such a threat as its cracked up to be. He suggests that the 
official support for disarmament is part of a Trilateral/CFR plot to 
leave the country defenseless against a takeover by a small cabal 
that will hang on to some bombs. Fallout in particular he discounts 
as a credible risk, based on anecdotal evidence from workers at the 
Nevada test site. (D-4t) 


tohtotkk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Gerald L. Sprouse, WHO KILLED JFK AND WHY (50¢ & SASE 
from PO Box 830, Ooltewah, TN 37363): The CIA did it, because 
Kennedy was too hard on communism, which posed a threat to the 
one-worlders. That's Gerald’s conclusion, based on evidence intro- 
duced at a libel trial where the SPOTLIGHT was the defendant and 
called CIA operatives to testify as to their connections with Oswald. 
Would be more useful if it gave a case citation, or any other 
reference. (S-2) 


tk kkk 
Gerald L. Sprouse, WHY I DON’T BELIEVE THAT MAN HAS 
EVER BEEN TO THE MOON (50¢ & SASE from PO Box 830, 
Ooltewah, TN 37363): I certainly hope this one is a put-on, because 
if it's not, it contains far too many simple errors to be refuted in 
this space. There is no understanding of basic physics here, and the 
“discrepancies” he thinks he saw between what happened and what 
he expected to happen merely reflect on his own lack of knowledge. 
(S-3) 
kk kkk 
Chuck Taylor, THE POET AS WARRIOR: A MANIFESTO ($3 
from Slough Press, PO Box 1385, Austin, TX 78767): Chuck in this 
chapbook considers the question of why anyone would bother to 
publish poetry today, in an age when most people don’t understand 
it or care about it. His answer is that the poet is a warrior against 
mass culture, striving to recapture a bit of individuality and tradition 
| bringing in emotions and ideas not given much thought. This is 
all wrapped up in an evaluation of some of the directions of both 
modern poetry and society. (D-24) 
tk kkk 
TO ME, AFM IS... (Trade from 18 NW 100 St., Miami, FL 33150): 
Rian Fike is the mastermind behind the AFM exchange network, 
but he’s silent here. Instead, he asked a whole bunch of folks, 
including Liz Was, David Ciaffardini, Jake Berry, Michael Behaviour 
and yours truly to complete the title sentence. The result is a 
network’s-eye view of the way one free exchange functions. (S-8t) 


kk kkk 
Jason Underground, BRAINSTORM ($2 (?) from Jesus Freaks, 
Ink, 2795 Via Vela, Camarillo, CA 93010): A play about noncon- 
formity, bigotry, and the crappy way that people treat other people—I 
think. Considering the various surreal things that happen, including 
brains being blown out the back of heads, I doubt that it will ever 
be staged. Jason seems to be saying something urgent about the 
underground and dignity, but it’s not precisely clear what this is. 
(D-28) 
kkkkk 
Jason Underground, EVERYONE I MEET BECOMES A 
VEGETARIAN, EVENTUALLY... ($2 (?) from Jesus Freaks, Ink, 2795 
Via Vela, Camarillo, CA 93010): A collection of short fables informed 
by Jason’s dedication to Christianity. There’s no overt religion in 
the stories, but it’s pretty clear that he has a strong sense of what's 
right. Some of these are pretty clever, with O’Henry twists; others 
are more introspective. (D-20) 


tot tok 

Ken Wagner, TWISTED SMILE ($2 from 511 W. Sullivan, 
Olean, NY 14760): A novella about the life of one young man, Joey, 
who seems to have it reasonably good, with a new baby, until he 
gets involved in dealing dope to support himself. I know, that 
sounds awfully moralistic, but this isn’t slanted that way. Instead, 
it's an examination of how meaningless it can be to get ahead in 
this world, and how warped our values can read. Ken has a nice 
style, and I enjoyed reading this. (M-48r) 


Kk kkk 
Ken Wagner, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? (SASE from 
Ken Wagner, 511 W. Sullivan, Olean, NY 14760): A “no-frills” 
pamphlet of philosophical speculation. Ken doesn’t come to any 
conclusions, although he considers such heavy topics as life, death, 
fate, harmony, chaos, Jesus Christ and more. Could be read as a 
parody of the usual religious tract if you're in that sort of mood. 
(S-1). 
kk kkk 
Jason Walters, ETERNAL ICE (50¢ in stamps from 526 Haight 
St., San Francisco, CA 94117): For that price Jason will send you a 
whole pile of his writings. This Jatest mini has more eerie, depressing 
and strange short stories; in breadth of attack he reminds me a bit 


q 


ve 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


of Silverberg. Best bet here is “The Dostoevski Principle”, about the 
System subverting its own opposition quite brazenly. (M-16r) 


took tk 

A WARNING TO AMERICAN SUPPORTERS OF ISRAEL (25¢ 
& SASE from Tim Donovan, 7 Ashland St., Manchester, CT 06040): 
This broadside argues that we can’t afford to jeopardize our relations 
with the Arab world and their oil supplies in order to support Israel, 
and that “those responsible for this dangerous and ultimately ruinous 
policy are not worthy of their U.S. citizenship”. It’s a bit stronger 
than the current anti-Zionist backlash in the mainstream media, but 
not much. (L-1) 


kkkkk 


-—“ JAKE WILDER’S BIG LITTLE BOOK OF NOTHING ($1 from 


Luke McGuff, PO Box 3987, Minneapolis, MN 55403): A collection 
of stories, posters and what-not that Luke put together ‘for 
LAUGHING WHALE, but there are plenty of copies left. Jake is a 
wild guy, writing about other wild folks in a style that reminds me 
a bit of Joe Hoppe’s stuff. Luke supplies a foldout centerfold poster 
of postmodern “Statements” and some pro-drug propaganda. A nice 
way to spend a few minutes. (M-28t) 


ie toto kk 

~~ Jarret B. Wollstein, ENDING OUR DRUG NIGHTMARE (5¢ each 
[minimum order $1] from ISIL, 9308 Farmington Dr., Richmond, VA 
23229): Put out by the International Society for Individual Liberty, 
this leaflet sets out in straightforward language the libertarian 
arguments for legalization of drug use. There’s nothing especially 
new here, but it’s good to have it all in one place. (S-2t) 


koko 
WOUNDED CHILDREN ($1 CASH/Stamps from The Church of 
Tina Chopp, c/o Osiris Ranebo, PO Box 1914, Bellingham, WA 
98227-1914): The latest in a series of tracts designed to recruit people 


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Pamphlet Reviews 79 


to the religion of the Tinites, done up to look very much like those 
from Chick Publications. But these are much funnier, and preach a 
religion of snake worshipping and sacrificing the holy vegetable 
instead of being born again in Christ. (MM-24t) 
kkkkk 

XEROGRAPHIC WARFARE ($4 from Rayozine Studios, PO Box 
291, Cooper Stn., New York, NY 10276): A collection of 25 “Posters 
of the New York City Music Scene” presented in high-quality 
one-sided reproductions. There’s plenty of good work here, notably 
contributions from Alex Ross, Daniel Hellman and John Terhorst. 
Some of the best work from any scene. (S-25) 


kkkkk 


PAMPHLET NOTES 
eHenry Miller's AN OPEN LETTER TO STROKER!, which was 
reviewed last issue, is now available in a new edition for $6.60 
directly from STROKER, 129-2nd Ave. #3, New York, NY 10003. 





REBECCA HAMMEL 


Faith at Wilson Center 9-17-82 


A book of DC bands, Black and White, 8” x 11’, 176 pages, 450 photos. 
$12.00 postpaid in US. $15.00 in Canada and all other countries (Bookrate only) 


Sun Dog Propaganda 

PO Box 9743 

Washington, DC 20016 

Make money orders or checks payable to Cynthia Connolly 








80 Movers & Shakers 





MOVERS & 


Eighties Mail Art Networking 
by John Held Jr. 


One of the great ironies of mail art is that its acknowledged 
pioneer, New York artist Ray Johnson, is something of a hermitic 
loner, whose “happenings” would as often as not turn into 
“nothings”. And yet this many of poetry possessing a natural 
generosity has paved the way towards the creation of an international 
network of artists. 

As early as 1955, Johnson was quoted in the inaugural issue of 
the influential VILLAGE VOICE as having a mailing list of two 
hundred. “I send lists either to people I think would be interested 
or to people I think won't be interested.” His correspondents at the 
time included socialite and noted party-giver Elsa Maxwell and James 
Barr, of the Museum of Modern Art. 

Johnson was a product of the legendary American art school, 
Black Mountain College. It was there that such artists as John Cage, 
Merce Cunningham, Robert Rauschenberg and Buckminster Fuller, 
as well as many others, nurtured themselves in each other's 
company. Johnson was in direct contact with the beginnings of a 
new movement in American art, which eventually eclipsed the 
predominant Abstract Expressionist School of Art. Johnson's large 
circle of artworld friends were drawn together by his enigmatic use 
of the postal system around which the New York Correspondence 
School of Art was initiated. Although other artists had preceded 

Johnson in the use of the postal system for artistic means, most 
notably Marcel Duchamp and members of the Italian Futurist 
movement, it was Johnson’s vigor and ability to manifest poetry 
from everyday life which led to his becoming the center of a gathering 
storm. ; 

Throughout the fifties and sixties mail art, very much under the 
direct influence of Johnson, remained a closed mechanism of 
‘communication between artworld intelligentsia. But the slow spread 
of mail art during this period, often from person-to-person through 
the instructions of Johnson to “add and send to” an often unknown 
third person, led to the eventual public display at the Whitney 
Museum of Art of the New York Correspondence School exhibition 
curated by Johnson and Marcia Tucker. 

In the November, 1970 issue of ARTFORUM magazine, author 
Kasha Linville wrote: 

Johnson is concerned with loosely structured interactions, but not 
as a conceptual artist. Instead he is more a solicitous host who like 
to provide the opportunity to meet, by mail or in person at one of 
the NYCS meetings, and to watch what happens. The only sad note 
about Johnson’s Whitney diversion is it seems a shame to catch 
such a living thing in flight, to pin it down and make a museum 
piece of it. 

But this “living thing” was not yet “in flight”. In truth it was 
still a caterpillar and it was evolving into something very different 
from the schoolyard of the New York artworld intelligentsia. 

Indeed, this first mail art show at the Whitney Museum of 
American Art was the beginning of a revolution in art. Because it 
was through the mail art show that a previously fractured network 
was linked. Invitations to mail artists were distributed in mass 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


SHAKERS 


off 
TREN 


mailings from names gathered from newly emerging sources. Mail 
art exhibitions flourished throughout the seventies and into the 
eighties. In my book, INTERNATIONAL ARTIST COOPERATION: 
MAIL ART SHOWS, 1970-1985, the growth of mail art shows is 
documented having increased from 2 in 1970; 46 in 1976; 58 in 1977; 
75 in 1979; until in 1981 there are some 281 shows accounted for. 

In the middle seventies, the mail art show came to mean “all 
work shown”, “no fees to enter’, and “documentation to all 
participants”. Sensing that something important was happening, yet 
receiving little support from the art establishment, mail artists took 
it upon themselves to curate their own shows, and thus insure the 
growth of their preferred medium. I documented’ 1,335 mail art 
shows between 1970 and 1985. No doubt there were many more 
than this. 

The network began to echo the sentiments of Fluxus artist Robert 
Filliou, who began to develop the concept for an Eternal Network 
of artists. In a 1973 issue of FILE magazine he wrote: 

If it is true that information about the knowledge of all modern 
art research is more than any one artist could comprehend, then 
the concept of the avant-garde is obsolete. With incomplete 
knowledge, who can say who is in front, and who ain't. I suggest 
that considering each artist as part of an Eternal Network is a much 
more useful concept. 

Throughout the seventies the Eternal Network gathered strength. 
Former participants with established art reputations dropped out 
while isolated emerging artists from throughout the world drew 
strength from an ever-increasing brotherhood of artists who utilized 
the postal system for its connecting fabric. 

The evolution of mail art was also aided by publications which 
took up its cause and became central clearinghouses of information. 
The first major publication linking the newly emerging network was 
FILE, published by the Canadian art collective General Idea. Included 
with FILE was the work of another Canadian art group, Image Bank, 
which began compiling “image request lists”. But by the middle 
seventies General Idea turned its attention elsewhere, mirroring the 
movement of well-known artists away from mail art. Stepping in to 
fill the void was UMBRELLA magazine, edited by art librarian Judith 
A. Hoffberg. 

During the late seventies and until the mid eighties, UMBRELLA 
became the publication of record for the mail art movement. A 
growing list of mail art shows and projects were announced in each 
issue swelling the ranks of newcomers to the network. And a glance 
at the issues published by Hoffberg leaves a trail of mail art activity 
in the early eighties. 

1980: 

Fluxus collection at Ecart bookshop in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Mohammed Center for Restricted Communication, Genova, Italy. 

Other Books and So bookstore, Amsterdam, Holland. 

ARTE POSTALE #10, by Vittore Baroni. 

COMMONPRESS 33, edited by Russell Butler (BuZ Blurr). 

Des Moines Festival of the Avant-Garde announces the formation 
of the Performance Bank (Fred Truck). 

Mail art show to free Buster Cleveland from a California jail. 

AU requests mail art for Japan Modern Art 80. 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


RUBBERSTAMPMADNESS begins publication. 

“Electroworks” exhibit of photocopy art at George Eastman 
House, Rochester, New York. 

Bern Porter states he was doing mail art in 1920. 

Anna Banana completes her second Banana Olympics. 

Xerox exhibition curated by Ginny Lloyd at La Mamelle, San 
Francisco, California. 

Lon Spiegelman raises questions concerning the paying of fees 
for mail art catalogs. 

Mail art show by Michael Duquette (Toronto, Canada) is censored. 

Ulises Carrion’s SECOND THOUGHTS is published. 

LIBELLUS, a monthly mail art publication by Guy Schraenen. 

Johan van Geluwe begins his Museum project (COMMONPRESS 
40). 
1981: 
Postage stamp exhibition at Artpool, Budapest, Hungary. 
C.D.O. archive in Parma, Italy active. 
Carlo Pittore opens La Galleria dell ‘Occhio in New York City. 
John Held Jr. shows “Letters to Mohammed”. 
VEC audio archives. 
RUBBER continues publication from Stempelplaats Gallery, 
Amsterdam, Holland. 

Jean Brown Archives, Tyringham, Massachusetts, featured in 
UMBRELLA. 

E.F. Higgins auctions off his Stamp Paintings. 

David Cole and Paul Zelevansky create MC magazine. 

Lon Spiegelman holds a workshop on mail art for children at 
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 

Harley announces the First International Mail Art Congress (never 
takes place). 

Henk Fakkeldij holds a “mail art performance” called The Meeting 
in Utrecht. 

1982: 

Communication to Poland disrupted by political activity. 

Chuck Stake celebrates his tenth anniversary in mail art. 

Rimma and Valery Gerlovin issue a collection of envelopes called 
“Letters to the USSR”. : 

Edgardo-Antonio Vigo of Argentina issues number 8 in the series 
“Our International Stamps Cancelled Seals”. 

Nattovning (Night Exercises) being organized by Peter Meyer for 


’ Swedish National Radio. 


INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF COPY ARTISTS QUARTERLY 
begins publication. 

Bookworks 82, 
Philadelphia. 

Geza Perneczky active in conceptual book publishing. 

Mike Bidner seeking information on “artistamps” for a forthcom- 
ing catalog. 

Modern Realism gallery opens in Dallas, Texas, to show mail 
art, xerox, artists’ books, rubberstamps and Fluxus. 

FIRST INTERNATIONAL MAIL ART MANIFESTO issues to 
mark the Twentieth Anniversary of the New York Correspondence 
School (c.d.o., Parma, Italy). 

New York Cavellini Festival. 

Michael Mollett distributes his VW bus through the mail. 


a conference on artists’ books, is held in 





JOSEPHINE BAKER FAN CLUE 
Name 
Specimen 


Rm. # 


Movers & Shakers 81 


Peter Horobin (Scotland) visits Jurgen Olbrich in Kassel, West 
Germany. 

NATIONAL STAMPAGRAPHIC begins publication. 

Third National High School Postal Art Exhibition in Washington, 
D.C., organized by the Cracker Jack Kid. 

1983: 

“Correspondence as Art: An Historical Overview” curated bu 
Mike Crane is exhibited at San Jose State University, California. 

Anna Banana tours “Why Banana?” a performance artwork in 
Canada and the United States. 

Ginny Lloyd opens The Storefront Gallery in San Francisco for 
mail art and performance activities. 

ABOUT VILE published by Anna Banana. 

Press Me Close produces t-shirts by Lon Spiegelman, Carlo Pittore, 
Bern Porter and others. 

TRAX published by Piermario Ciani, Italy. 

Maine Mail Art Exhibition events feature Carlo Pittore, Steve 
Random, R. Saunders, and others. 

“Mail Music”, an international mail art project by Nicola Frangione 
is released as an album with 47 artists represented. 

The film “Mail Art Romance” is shown, documenting the marriage 
of mail artists John and C. Mehrl Bennett. 

Mail Art for Peace catalog by Peter Kustermann. 

1984: 

Guy Bleus organizes the European Cavellini Festival 1984 in 
Brussels. 

World Art Post catalog distributed by Artpool, Budapest. 

“Mail Art Then and Now” curated by Ronny Cohen is shown 
at Franklin Furnace, New York City, from January 18 through March 
10. 

ND 2 is published by Daniel Plunkett. 

“Injury by Jury Mail Art Show” curated by Cracker Jack Kid. 

“Works by Ray Johnson” shown at Nassau County Museum 
opens February 7. 

H.R. Fricker in New York. 

Two panel discussion on mail art at 22 Wooster Gallery, sponsored 
by Artists Talk on Art, generate a storm of controversy. 

Cavellini changes his address. 

Piotr Rypson shows his retrospective mail art archive in a Polish 
exhibition. 

TAM begins a monthly bulletin of mail art activities. 

“Mail Art About Mail Art” published as COMMONPRESS 55. 

While this essay deals primarily with the state of mail art and 
its explosive growth in the eighties, to better understand the present 
situation it is necessary to draw upon our knowledge of the past. 
From increasing research on mail art, it becomes clear that mail art 
is not so much the progeny of Ray Johnson as it is a parallel 
development of the modern art movement, and that an under- 
standing of this fuller history of mail art can give us a better 
perspective of eighties mail art networking. 

Duchamp’s prototypical postal action of attaching four postcards 
to each other and sending them to his neighbors, the Arensbergs, 
is becoming well-known. Less understood is the impact of the Italian 
Futurist movement on international postal activity. The group 
developed not only manifestoes, for which they are famous, but 
stationary, postcards, and decorated correspondence for the 








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L, ARIRONA ANENUE 
RENSSELAER. NY 


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82 Movers & Shakers 


to publicize the group’s positions. Two books | 
have been published in Europe devoted to § 
the subject of Futurist postal activity, one in @ 
France and another in Italy. At one time the 
Fluxus contribution to mail art was over- § 
shadowed by Ray Johnson, and now it 
appears that both Ray Johnson and Fluxus 
have been overshadowed by the Futurist 
factor. 

By now the Fluxus contribution to mail 
art has been well established. Not only in 
the development of newsletters to link the 
diverse participants, and the joint projects 
conducted through correspondence, but 
especially Robert Watts’ use of the postage 
stamp as an artistic medium, various 
members’ use of the rubber stamp, and Ken 
Friedman’s role in the compilation of mailing 
lists. 

It should be noted that both Futurism 
and Fluxus had very strong performance art 
elements in their repertoire, and this we will 
see also sheds light on the current state of 
mail art. And like Futurism, Dada, and Fluxus, mail art is as much 
attitude as artform. At times this attitude. explodes into a public 
display of emotion. 

Such was the case during the Franklin Furnace/Artists Talk on 
Art controversy in February of 1984. This event galvanized the mail 
network and forced it to examine itself. This same period of 
self-reflection saw the publication of the first major anthology of 
mail art writings, CORRESPONDENCE ART: SOURCE BOOK FOR 
THE NETWORK OF INTERNATIONAL POSTAL ART ACTIVITY, 
edited by Michael Crane and Mary Stofflet. It remains the landmark 
work documenting the field. The same year saw an unprecedented 
number of mail artists drawn together at Interdada ’84. The last few 
years have been active ones in mail art. 

1986 saw the implementation of the Worldwide Decentralized 
Mail Art Congresses, a concept developed by two Swiss artists, 
Gunther Ruch and H.R. Fricker. I personally consider this to be the 
most important development in the fifteen years I have been active 
in mail art. More than 70 Congresses were held with over 500 
participants from 25 countries. Each Congress was encouraged to 
explore networking concerns (the nature of interpersonal contacts, 
the art market, archives, mass mail art versus one-to-one communica- 
tion, cooperation, etc.) and to report the conclusions to the two 

“Swiss organizers. Gunther Ruch has published the Congress Book, 
which unites the various opinions expressed. 

One of the most important effects of the Mail Art Congresses is 
the fact that many mail artists, who had previously only corresponded 
with each other, were given an opportunity to meet. This is certainly 
not a new development, for Ray Johnson was the host of many a 
New York Correspondence Club meeting in the sixties, but this was 
a widespread series of meetings of unprecedented scope. 

Before the initiation of the Worldwide Decentralized Mail Art 
Congresses, it was perfectly legitimate for a mail artist simply to 
stay at home and write letters, never having to meet any of his 
correspondents to function at an international networking level. But 
since the Congress year of 1986, to be truly involved in mail art is 
to confront the greater world in extended discussions. This was a 
mistake previous to the Franklin Furnace debates. Mail artists thought 
they were in agreement, only to find in a face-to-face confrontation 
that there was a wide gulf between them. It seemed that only by 
meeting and intensive discussion could many of those disputes be 
resolved. 

As a result of the Congress Year, 1987 saw a number of 
collaborative projects. Jurgen O. Olbrich, who was invited to 
participate in the prestigious documenta performance section in his 
hometown of Kassel, West Germany, invited fellow mail artists to 
participate in his “City Souvenir” project. This “expanded perfor- 
mance” took the form of the various artists preparing storefront 
window displays to reflect the various manufactured products, or 
souvenirs, of their respective hometowns, and a cooperative display 
in a department store, whereby these “souvenirs” were given away 

free to the unsuspecting shoppers. By going to where the people 
were, Olbrich and his collaborators (including Chuck Stake from 


of connecting its far-flung membership and 






























FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Canada) reflected the theme of the 1987 


FAM A NETWORKER: (SOMETIMES): # documenta, which sought to stress the blend 


Pewee between art and life. Documenta was almost 
fd universally denounced as having failed its 
stated mission and instead portrayed the art 
ag world as art-market. But Olbrich’s concept 
of an expanded performance bringing art to 
where the people were remains a bright spot. 

Again in West Germany, this time in 

fl Minden, Jo Klaffki, beter known as Joki Mail 
Art, continued a series of mail art meetings 
i in an attempt to establish Minden as a mail 
@aart mecca. “Mailart-Station-Minden” was 
Wm held in conjunction with the Minden Arts 
Festival from September 26 to October 4, 
#1987. It featured the participation of mail 
artists Dobrica Kamperelic (Yugoslavia), H.R. 
Ai Fricker (Switzerland), Ruggero Maggi (Italy), 
4A. Dudeck-Durer (Poland), and West Ger- 
mans Achim Schnyder and Peter Kuster- 
M mann, among others. 
Joki writes, “There may be over 1000 
mailartists serving in different links of the 
international network to inspire each other. 
The simplest way to do this is per post. Were one to discount the 
transported art pieces there would still remain a highly qualified 
correspondence-art as the most important feature of the Mailart 
movement. Above and beyond the Postal communication would be 
the next step of communicative works, the personal contacts.” 

We also see this urge to communicate a live art manifested in 
Uruguay. Clemente Padin, an active mail art participant, has served 
as an inspiration to a whole generation of South American artists. 
He had been involved with mail art and visual poetry since the late 
sixties, and was jailed for a time in the seventies for his postal 
activities. This precipitated a widespread campaign for his release 
through the mail art network, along with that of his fellow 
countryman Jorge Carabello. Mail art in South America takes a 
political stance in response to prevailing conditions. So it was not 
surprising that in September 1987 a collaborative work supported” 
by the Uruguayan Mail Art Association and featuring Antonio Ladra 
was held in which Ladra marched in a parade with a sandwich 
board making known his concerns for the Peruvian people on the 
anniversary of the establishment of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. 
Padin writes, “The question is not only to take the art (as it is 
understood) to the street, but transform its social meaning in actions 
and works that have to be actively inserted in its development, 
referring to those problems that are specially concealed, sensitizing 
people, trying to give them courage to change their views. And 
such a modification would change the art work, its consumption, 
but even more, the artist-spectator relationship.” 

Two of mail arts most indefatigable “tourists” are Shozo 
Shimamoto and Ryosuke Cohen of Japan. “Tourism” has become a 
whole sub-genre of mail art developing from the concept of H.R. 
Fricker that extends the postal experience into a life experience. 
Cohen and Shimamoto came to the United States in 1987 after 
successful tours of Eastern and Western Europe in 1986. Cohen is 
well known for his Brain Cell project, in which he gathers specific 
design elements of his correspondents and combines them on one 
sheet. Shimamoto is one of the most respected figures in mail art. 
In the fifties, he was active in the Gutai movement, which had an 
enormous impact on bringing progressive art concepts to Japan. 
Today he directs AU, an artist union for unidentified art. Their North 
American tour included stops in Baltimore, New York, Portland 
(Maine), Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Calgary, In each 
city they met with mail art contacts and performed Shozo’s 
“Networking on the Head”, in which his shaved head served as a 
projection screen for slides of mail artists that were sent to him 
from around the network. 

In Dallas, his appearance on July 28, 1987, coincided with the 
one-hundredth birthday of Marcel Duchamp. To recognize this date 
of importance, we performed an act to honor Duchamp at a Dallas 
club appropriately named Club Dada. I had Ryosuke cut off my 
hair, which I then pasted on the back of Shozo’s head in the shape 
of a star. This paid homage to Duchamp’s action of 1919 (or 1921, 
depending on the source), and sometimes called the “Tonsure”, in 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


which he shaved a star on the back of his head. This was one of 
the first instances of what would now be considered “body art”. 

This act points out once again what has become an integral part 
of the mail art network in the last few years—the extension of the 
postal experience to live cooperative action by networkers. 

If this aspect of mail art has roots in Futurism, Dada, and Fluxus, 
we must remember that there are other elements of creativity 
common to these precursors of mail art. These. movements also had 
a strong influence on the written (and printed) word. And mail art 
too has its share of literary figures—Jack Saunders, Al Ackerman, 
David Zack, John M. Bennett, Joel Lipman, and George Myers—to 
name but a few. 

This literary aspect of mail art illustrates the ties that mail art 
has with other alternate, underground, marginal or counter-culture 
genres (call them what you will). The above named artists have ties 
to the small literary scene as well as to mail art. Nowhere is this 
illustrated as well as in the writings of NATION columnist Stewart 
Klawans, who has an occasional column in the magazine called the 
“Small Scene”. In 1988, Klawans mentioned mail artists Saunders, 
Ackerman, Anna Banana’s BANANA RAG and the Crackerjack Kid’s 
NETWORKING CURRENTS in his exploration of the small press 
scene. 

Another sub-cult which has increasingly strong ties to mail art 
is the music cassette underground. Dan Plunkett’s ND magazine 
has its roots in this genre. And mail artists Monty (Istvan Kantor) 
Cantsin, VEC’s Rod Summers of Holland, and Italy’s Vittore Baroni 
and his TRAX project have long been involved in sound and audio 
artforms which appear to be converging with underground music. 
There are many other mail artists involved in this: Peter Mayer of 
Sweden, Minoy in Los Angeles, James “Six-Fingered Nunzio” Cobb 
in San Antonio, Gerald Juppiter-Larsen and his group the Haters in 
Canada, and Nichola Frangione of Italy who produced the album 
“Mail Music” to name but a few. 

The proliferation of mail art publitations is also finding it has 
strong links to the fanzine and publishing underground,. Editors of 
mail art publications like Dobrica Kammperelic of OPEN WORLD, 
Daniel Plunkett of ND, and Vittore Baroni of ARTE POSTALE have 
much in common with other publishers in the science fiction, music, 
anarchist, and libertarian fields. 

And pseudo-cults like the Church of the SubGenius have strong 
affinities for mail artists, who share the Church’s dada lifestyle. Mail 
art's own cult-within-a-cult, Neoism, is attracting adherents both 
from within and from outside the strict boundaries of mail art. 

And maybe that’s the whole point: there are no strict boundaries 
any more. I was surprised when Lloyd Dunn, the editor of the 
excellent photocopy journal PHOTOSTATIC, wrote to me that he 
was not a mail artist, but a networker interested in photocopy. It 
just so happened that photocopy interests and mail art issues overlap. 

These various special interest groups, and I haven’t meant to 
exclude the rubber stamp enthusiast, who has enjoyed a long history 
of involvement in mail art, are finding that mail art has established 
networks and strategies (like the mail art show structure or the mail 
art publication where each contributor of a certain amount of pages 
receives a free issue) that work for them as well. 
With all the merging going on, it becomes a distin 


ct possibil 
that mail art could lose its own identity, fracturin 









ity 
iad 


R AVIO 
LUFTPOST 
BLA $000 000. 6-8 


SEES GS 
MIKE GUNDERLOY 


6 ARIZONA AVERUE 


Movers & Shakers 83 


of sub-genres. But mail art has established a strong history: Futurism, 
Dada, Nouveau Realism, Fluxus, Ray Johnson. And international 
mail art networking’s great strength has been to serve as an umbrella 
for these diverse fields such as audio, rubber stamps, artists’ postage 
stamps, photocopy, artists’ publications, poetry and literature, 
computer art, and so on. 

So far, at any rate, mail art is proving itself eternal. It has 
extended itself upon such publications as FILE and UMBRELLA, yet 
when these publications reconsidered their support, the arto 
adapted and found new avenues of making its voice heard. Currents 
rise and fall in mail art. Artist postage stamps, mail art shows, 
rubber stamps, tourism; each fluctuates according to particular 
concerns and fashions of the moment. Even countries rise and fall 
in the mailstream of postal activity. Italy has traditionally been an 
active voice in mail art. Shozo and Ryosuke’s frenzied activities on 
behalf of mail art have caused Japan to take a prominent role in 
current mail art networking. The Soviet Union is currently embarking 
upon the seas of mail art. But Australia, while it still has die-hard 
enthusiasts like Pat and Dick Larter, has lost much of the energy 
it seemed to posses in the early and mid-seventies. 

Themes in mail art come and go as well. In recent years, the 
Neoist philosophy has swept mail art. Tourism has become an 
integral part of the networking experience. And in 1988, “Plagiarism” 
became a prominent concept with Festivals of Plagiarism being held 
in London, San Francisco, and Madison, Wisconsin. 

There are concepts in mail art that are currently being questioned 
and revitalized. For the past several years, the question of mail art 
archives has been raised. Who really owns them, the receiver or 
the artists that created and mailed the works away? And can they 
be sold? (And more importantly, does anyone want to buy them?). 
In 1987, Vittore Baroni in a special issue of his influential ARTE 
POSTALE magazine dared to state that mail art and money do mix. 
And many agree that there are times when indeed they do. 

Another controversial concept is the integration of mail art into 
the framework of the traditional art establishment. In the catalog 
accompanying the exhibition “Corresponding Worlds—Artists’ 
Stamps”, curator Harley (a long-time mail artist) wrote: 

I realize that this is a controversial approach to the mail-art 
network that prides itself on its origins as an alternative to the 
labyrinth of the highly politicized “art world” of galleries, museums 
and collectors. Personally, I feel that the integration of the traditional 
art world structure and the mail-art network is inevitable. My 
response is that the mail-artist should play the pivotal role in this 
integration. * 

The one thing that can be said in confidence about mail art is 
that its history has never been dull. This vibrancy is what 
distinguishes mail art from other more static forms of art. The Eternal 
Network marches to a drum beat of its own, toward a future of 
undetermined promise. 

(Reprinted, with permission, from the German translation in I 
AM A NETWORKER SOMETIMES: MAIL-ART AND TOURISM 
IM NETWORK DER 80ER JAHRE, by H.R. Fricker, Verlag Vexer, 
St. Gallen, Switzerland, 1989. Available from Printed Matter 
Bookstore at DIA, 77 Wooster St., New York, NY 10012) 








84 Why Publish? 





K.TrEMBLAy 


(Editor's Note: some people have apparently concluded that the 
publication of the WHY PUBLISH? book marked the end of this 
column. That is certainly not true. We’re still interested in hearing 
why you publish. Write it down, send it in, and I'll print it.) 


kkekkk 

Costas Mandilas, ANICHTI POLI 

ANICHTI POLI is the oldest and most regular (quarterly) 
underground journal of the Greek scene. The first issue appeared 
in October 1980 and up till now continues to come out by the same 
main people who started the whole thing. It is the first and only 
Greek underground publication which ever became a member of the 
Alternative Press Syndicate (APS) during its very last day of existence 
in 1981. 

The catch-phrase of ANICHTI POLI is “for the passages that 
haven't been found” and deals mainly with antiauthoritarian theories 
and practices, youth counter cultures, social ecology, alternative 
lifestyles, paganism, ancient Greeks, etc. 

By the...insidérs, it is further known that ANICHTI POLI is the 
official organ of creative propaganda of the Decentralist Confederation 
of Transgalactic Travelers, a very ancient tribe of discordant rascals, 
which for hundreds of centuries now, travel up and down the 
Universe to bring elixir wherever the Authoritarian Cancer threatens 
to bring total catastrophe and death upon the various planets. 


kkkkk 










HEY, MISTER-TOMIGHT ME 
Aup EVERY OTHER SEAGULL 
ALIVE ARE GOAMA SPRAY 

8O BILLION AEROSOL. CANS 
IND THE OZONE LAYER. 








FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Richard Freeman, PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER 

The question for me is not “Why Publish?” but rather why publish 
PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER on Mac Floppy Disc. (Considering the 
kind of writing I do, if I don’t publish it myself, it will forever 
remain unpublished. This was acceptable to me...I had learned to 
live with it, at least. It was seeing that the writing that friends were 
doing was not being published that led me to want to put out a 
magazine). 

For the first 5 issues of PBW, I had a free Xerox at my job. 
Each issue grew larger as more & more people I did not know 
began to contribute. Then, with PBW running at 140 pages, I lost 
my Xerox privileges. Putting out a very short run with free Xerox 
was costing about $100/issue. I decided that if I took PBW to a 
place like Kinko’s...and charged $4/copy—it might cost only about 
$400 for 40 copies...and for each additional copy I'd lose from $6 
to $8. I thought about buying or renting a copy machine—but with 
the price of toner, paper, postage & the inevitable breakdowns, 
there looked to be only minimum savings. 

Meanwhile, I had a Big Mac sitting in the living room—just 
waiting for someone to decide how to use it. It's true that I’m a 
one finger typist and the thought of typing 140+ pages every 3 
months was...I don’t even want to think of the mot juste here. 
True, someone might send their poetry or prose on floppy to 
me...and, in the latest issue, I had 150 pages of something called 
Metametamorphosis that I wanted to comment on...already on the 
computer and ready to transfer (as soon as I could figure out how 
to do it). So the latest issue runs to 250+ pages...at a cost per copy 
of $1.50. A buck for the floppy, 45¢ for postage, and a nickel for 
the envelope. (We will not factor in my ing time...as I am a 
terrible typist, my time is worthless.) It looks as if PBW could run 
to 350 pages and still fit on a floppy disc. 

It is true that most people don’t have Macs and so will find it 
difficult to read PBW. But between being hard to read & not being 
able to publish at all...And I am hoping that computer literacy 
includes the possibility that people with computers will actually want 
to read. 

Yd be happy to correspond with anyone who wants to know 
more about this most unhappy fact of publishing...though I leave 
with this thought: that if the press is free only to those who own 
a press, then computers, at least for now, offer the possibility of 
owning a fairly inexpensive press. 

(You can reach Richard at 130 W. Limestone, Yellow Springs, 
OH 45387). 


WERE MOVIN 10 PRS 
AWD THEY SEEMEP SO 
MCE IN THAT BOOK. 
CHICKEN LITTLE. SS 
WHO TOLD UZ A SEAGULL2. NWI) 





JALLEL LALLA 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Well, I knew this was going to happen. I just knew it. As soon 
as that gaudy little ball began its annual descent into the happy, 
excited throng of desperate fun-seekers and the petty thieves who 
love them, as soon as Dick Clark—or whoever it was. Somehow, 
in these situations, whatever unfortunate male it is that has been 
commandeered into serving as host for the festivities begins to take 
on the air of Dick Clark, so that it soon becomes impossible to 
make a rational judgment as to who he was before he donned that 
attractive cardboard tiara. What occasionally worries me is that they 
might all, to a man, possibly be Dick Clark—had fairly wished us 
all a “Happy New Year!”, as soon as that horrific number “1990” 
had flashed across the television screen, and that lovely, quiet fellow 
with all the colourful magazines upstairs had flashed across the 
hallway, then I knew, I knew beyond the shadow of every reasonable 
doubt that it was going to happen again. After all, it happens a 
couple of days after ever New Year's Eve, and really, what is the 
start of a New Decade, at is most basic, than New Year’s Eve blown 
up out of all proportion? And I was right, too, wasn’t I? The very 
next day, the very next day mind you, when most of our bodies 
were still warm and before it had even completely sun in that they 
were actually going to pre-empt Phil Donahue for something called—I 
think—The Federal Express Orange Bowl Parade (a name which 
conjures up all manner of images, not one immediately describable), 
they started coming. 

The Ten Best Movies Lists. 

Now, we've discussed Ten Best Movies Lists before—oh yes, we 
have, somewhere back in the foggy mists of time, when this column 
was new and I was a young, carefree, sprightly thing who still 


believes that no one in his or her right mind would attempt another 3 


remake of Phantom of the Opera—and I even, at that time, gave in 
and wrote one, for some year or another, and I see no particular 
reason to go into it all again except that, well, here it is 19-bloody-90, 
and you would think, what with the shuttle going up and the Berlin 
Wall coming down and Noriega getting arrested and Beauty and the 
Beast getting canceled, that people would find something else to 
think about, but, apparently, this is too much to ask. Apparently— 
and I say “apparently” because I can not even pretend to understand 
all the underlying motivations of this sort of phenomenon—the turn 
of the decade has proven entirely too much for the Movie 
Commentators, Media Pundits and Grown-Up Film Critics of all 
flavours and, not only are the issuing forth with The Ten Best 
Movies of 1989, most of them have lost whatever tenuous hold they 
may have accidentally retained on reality and are actually, in front 
of God and Dr. Art Ulene and everybody, busily compiling lists of 
The Ten Best Movies of the Entire 1980's. 

Do you realize the implications of this? First of all, one must 
assume that any given one of these Wizards—for the sake of 
discussion, let's choose one and call him, oh, Broadway Jed 
Leland—can remember, through the haze of depression and paranoia 
that normally surrounds people who find themselves in _ this 
profession, seeing any movies to begin with, which is a pretty big 
assumption all by itself. Then one has to suppose that, of the very 
few films that good old Jed has not conveniently blotted out or 
ignored altogether, ten of them did not star Sylvester Stallone, Darryl 
Hannah or somebody named Corey, and can therefore be classed, 
however antically, as “the best” without automatically causing the 
classer to break out in a cold, cold sweat. Allowing that, one then 
must imagine that our friend Jed has taken the trouble to make at 
least relatively certain that these ten were released during the 1980’s 
(and the line between a 1979 and a 1980 release date is often nearly 


Stars On One 85 





invisible) and, well, I think you see my point. Tawana Brawley had 
a better story. 

Leaving all that aside, however, I shouldn’t mind these particular 
flights of fancy so very much if Broadway Jed and his buddies 
would just scuttle off to some nice, dark corner and amuse 
themselves with them quietly, leaving the rest of us to pursue our 
more mundane, conservative pastimes, like cross-dressing and 
watching re-runs of The Ann Southern Show, but it goes without 
saying that this is not the way of what passes as our modern 
civilization. No, it’s the sort of luck we have that we live in a country 
where just about everybody not only feels compelled, but is positively 
encouraged, to publish his or her little list in anything that even 
remotely resembles a newspaper or a magazine, with the result that 
those of us with one or two other things to do—there’s that bathroom 
floor, for instance—begin to feel like positive Communists if we 
don’t go along with the crowd. 

Because my sainted mother did not raise any Communists—and 
if you’d been to as many of their dances as she had, you'd 
understand why—because I’m as much of a good sport as the next 
guy, and because. the most recent movie I saw was Prancer, and if 
you think I’m going to spend the next three or four pages attempting 
to get a coherent review of that, then I’m sure the Reverend Al 
Sharpton would like to have a few words with you, I am about to 
give in yet again and present my own modest list of movies for 
the eighties. Having said all that, however, I want it clearly 
understood right at the start that (a) I mercifully did not sit through 
every movie released in the eighties, so this list is culled only from 
the few I did see; (b) I make no claims that any of these are the 
best movies even of the ones I did seem but are only the ones 
that, for one reason or another, struck me pleasantly enough that 
I can remember them without recoiling in abject horror; and (c) I 
am also one of those people that couldn’t be bothered looking up 
every fine point of every release date—Roger Ebert maybe could be 
bothered doing all that research, but then, you don’t see Roger 
Ebert making merry back here among the zine reviews, do you?—so 
if it turns out that one of these films was released in 1979 or even 
in 1978, tell it to the judge, tell it to the Marines—if you can find 
enough postage for a letter to Panama—but, for pity’s sake, don’t 
tell it to me. It’s 1990 and I still haven’t gotten over 1968 yet. 

On that note, then: 

Anni’s Ten Movies Probably Released Sometime in the 1980's 
That She Thought Were Pretty Good. Honestly. 

1. ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI: Action, thrills, 
rock’n’roll, giant ant men, Rastafarians, weird science, early screen 
appearances by Peter Weller and Ellen Baskin, and John Lithgow 
looking as if he’d been hanging out with Sam Kinison and sounding 
as if he’s been hanging out with Chico Marx. What more could a 
thinking person ask of a science fiction comedy? (What? You want 
Jeff Goldblum, too? We got Jeff Goldblum, too.) Lacking the 
pretensions to seriousness of the Spielberg, Lucas and even Star 
Trek epics, and a box office flop (though it gathered a certain cult 
following and was rather liked by some of the less elf-conscious 
Grown-Up Critics), Buckaroo Banzai manages to retain most of its 
humour and peculiar charm even after repeated viewings (and I’ve 
seen it more than 10 times, so I’m the girl who knows). No matter 
where you go, there you are. 

2. AFTER HOURS: Sometimes, during those moments of dead 
time, while I’m waiting for the 5 minute long, hysterical message 
on the answering machine of some self-styled wit to play itself out 
or anxiously watching a Sara Lee cheese cake defrost, I get to 


86 Stars On One 


thinking about what it must have been like to be at the production 
meeting in which Martin Scorcese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) announced 
that his next film would be an uproarious black comedy written by 
a 27 year old graduate student at Columbia University, Then I think 
about Griffin Dunne being chased through the streets of Soho by a 
Mr. Softee truck. I think about Teri Garr and her hundreds of cans 
of Adorne and the rat traps surrounding her bed, Roseanna Arquette 
and her room-mate, the paper-mache sculptress and part-time 
dominatrix, Verna Bloom in the basement, John Heard in the bad. 
Then I begin to laugh and laugh, and when I can finally pull myself 
together, I go out and rent this film again. Again and Again. 

3. THE COLOR PURPLE: Which now has the distinction of being 
the only film I have ever reviewed three times in this column. Yes, 
it as as good as you've heard and as bad as you've heard. Yes, 
Whoopie Goldberg is astonishing, the supporting cast is uniformly 
wonderful, and Oprah Winfrey fine enough to make you forget all 
about diets and publicity and over-exposure. Yes, the Steven 
Spielberg direction is overwrought and badly paced, the pretty-pretty 
cinematography nearly grotesque in light of the story being told, 
the score often misplaced and overwhelming. Yes, it is hokey and 
sentimental. Yes, you will cry. The publicity and controversy that 
attended its original showings came very near to eclipsing The Color 
Purple—as you may remember, it was snubbed at the Oscars, losing 
in several categories that it really should have taken and, at various 
points in its history, its creators and cast were accused of racism, 
sexism, exploitation, pandering and just about everything else short 
of assault with a deadly weapon—but beyond all that is the movie 
itself, which probably isn’t a good film by anyone’s standards, but 
may just ultimately prove to be a great one. 

4, FIELD OF DREAMS: The big mistake the producers of Field 
of Dreams made was to release this film in early spring. Possibly, 
they thought this was a nice idea because, being sort of about 
baseball, a start-of-the-season opening might be viewed as ap- 
propriate, but, as it turned out, it was a grave tactical error. For 
one thing, a film that opens in March or April, while it might enjoy 
a month or two of success, soon runs smack dab into the summer 
season and, unless it happens to heavily feature 35 or 40 semi-nude 
teenagers or at least a mass murderer, it stands an excellent chance 
of being completely forgotten, and then, too, as has been mentioned 
before, movies released too early in the year—meaning any time 
before December—are virtually never nominated for Academy 
Awards, and are therefore almost automatically doomed to obscurity 
in the minds of all but the most dedicated. All of which is an 
absolute shame in this case, because Field of Dreams is one of the 
most beautiful, lyrical and moving films released, not only in the 
last decade, but maybe ever. Based on W. P. kinsella’s SHOELESS 
JOE, it is, as I said, sort of about baseball. It is also about dreams 
and the people who have then, love, hope, craziness, humour, 
writers, farmers, fathers and children. It is, briefly, a little bit about 
everybody in the world, and it’s a very rare film that can make 
that claim. That the people connected with it—particularly Kevin 
Costner and James Earl Jones—will almost undoubtedly be passed 
over by the Academy Awards nominating committee in favour of 
overblown, overdrawn winter released like Steel Magnolias and, God 
help us, Always, is more than a shame. It’s a tragedy. 

5. THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST: Another side of Martin 
Scorcese, who is beginning to look, at the very least, hexagonal. 
Fundamentalist religious groups attempted to ban it, nervous theatre 
managers refused to play it, Cinemax blanked it out in some regions, 
the Academy again showed its true, cowardly nature by ignoring it 
nearly entirely, and underneath all the sound and fury was a precisely 
realized, exquisite, flawed account of humanity and divinity as 
personified by one man. There is nothing, really, to be added to 
all that’s already been written about this one movie except to say 
that, Batman be damned, in my opinion, at least, this was the picture 
of the decade. 

6. THE NATURAL: It is the nature of the game of baseball, it 
seems—slow, languid, graceful, dreamy, nearly balletic—to lend itself 
so wonderfully to mammoth, quiet allegories. Vaguely based on a 
Bernard Malamud short story, though with an entirely different 
ending, The Natural angered both baseball fans and cynics by being 
neither completely true to what some view as the game itself, and 
by sporting an ending that can fairly be described as “joyous”. It 
is, admittedly, a chancy film, full of sentiment and nostalgia. Good 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


bests evil, the hero is close to saintly, his lady fair the epitome of 
purity and goodness, the villain is the devil himself, but, ultimately, 
it all fits together like a perfectly executed double-play. Lovingly 
shot and edited, containing fine performances by Robert Redford, 
Glenn close, Wilford Brimley, Robert Duvall and Kim Basinger, 
among others, and with arguably one of the most beautiful scores 
ever composed for a film (courtesy of Randy Newman), The Natural 
is nothing but a delight, in the best sense of that word. 

7. NEIGHBORS: Well, from the sublime to the I don’t know 
what. This is not an easy film to like, and lots and lots off people 
very thoroughly didn’t. Right off the top-it's only fair to warn you 
that Neighbors is about 45 minutes too long, there are two or three 
incredibly boring stretches, and some of its humour can be 
characterized as unpleasant, to put it mildly. So what's it doing in 
this list? In the first place, it contains two absolutely sparkling 
performances by Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi—both of them 
playing against type, Belushi as the quiet, stodgy suburbanite 
terrorized by Ackroyd, the nasty, rowdy, revolting non-conformist— 
and, in the second, when it’s funny, it’s very, very funny indeed, 
besides being extremely eerie and peculiarly disturbing. You may 
not exactly enjoy this film, but I can guarantee that you won't easily 
forget it. 

8. ROBOCOP: The highlight of my summer a couple of years 
back, Robocop snuck in under the guise of being just another 
blood-guts-and-dismembered-limbs crime thriller. One can only 
imagine the expressions of the faces of the aficionados of this genre 
after they'd shelled out their five bucks to discover that Robocop was 
a literate, intelligent, even witty parody not only of this type of 
film, but of its audience, modern society, the Reagan administration, 
twentieth century fears and paranoia, and a lot of other nice things 
as well. Imagine the expression on my face as I practically danced 
out of the movie theatre. Unfortunately, rumours have been afoot 
lately that people—and no one has been terribly specific as to which 
ones—have plans in the works for a sequel to this gem. Sequels 
being what they are, my only advice to you is to stick the original 
in the old VCR, curl up, and wait for the whole thing to blow over. 
There are worse ways to pass the turn of the century. 

9. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP: George Roy. Hill 
directed. Robin Williams starred. John Lithgow appeared as a 
transsexual ex-football player. Glenn Close appeared as Williams’ 
mother, a sexual suspect. Based on a novel by John Irving. Do I 
really need to say anything more? 

10. ZELIG: It.was extremely difficult to decide which one of the 
Woody Allen films released during this decade—a body of work 
that included The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters and 
Radio Days, as well as a few unmitigated turkeys—belonged on this 
list; possibly most of them did. I finally chose Zelig, however, simply 
because it was the one that took the most chances and required 
the most work on the part of the viewer. A “documentary” on the 
life of Zelig, a man so obsessed with fitting in that he literally takes 
on the physical and mental characteristics of whatever person or 
group he approaches (when with a group of African Americans, he 
becomes an African American; with a group of Jews, he becomes 
a Jew, and so on), the film employs amazingly well-crafted “newsreel 
footage”, doctored photographs, “scientific materials” and all manner 
of devices, not one of which looks contrived, although they all easily 
might, to tell its story. Like Zelig himself, the film is a chameleon 
of sorts—it functions as a very black comedy, if that’s the way you 
see it; a study in film techniques and tricks, and a comment on 
both alienation and conformity—quite a feat in a rather short movie 
without one second of wasted footage. Zelig, perhaps because of its 
peculiar nature, was never quite as celebrated as some of Allen's 
other work, but it numbers among his best, and most challenging. 

Okay, I did it and I’m glad, and if there’s a just and merciful 
God I won't have to do it again for another ten years. Actually, 
glancing back over the list (which also might have included, just by 
the way, Amadeus, Witness, Stand By Me, Cross Creek, River's Edge, 
Good Morning, Viet Nam, and a couple of others), it wasn’t such a 
bad decade, after all, now was it? And with things like Driving Miss 
Daisy, Roger and Me and Glory in our future, perhaps the 90’s won't 
seem quite so bleak either. Perhaps it will even be a decade upon 
which we someday look back fondly. Perhaps... 

Excuse me, My call to the Rev. Sharpton just went through. 


f] 


a »} 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 






THE FISHING 
HOLE 


by Joe Lane 

Over the years since the founding of the underground press 
many ideas, groups, papers and trends have risen and fallen. One 
such type of organization that is apparently needed today is a 
national Underground Press Syndicate. This would be a group for 
newspapers, magazines and zines that would share stories so that 
small staffs at various zines could still put out a reasonable amount 
of news without having to have a large staff to cover the stories. 

The original Underground Press Syndicate was formed back in 
1966 as a non-profit association of five papers: The East Village 
OTHER, the Berkeley BARB, the San Francisco ORACLE, the Los 
Angeles FREE PRESS and the PAPER (East Lansing). The UPS 
eventually had some 671 member papers carrying their logo in stories 
on riots, drug laws and news from soldiers in the battlefields ‘of 
Vietnam. 

Members of UPS, under its organizational set-up, sent copies of 
their papers to each member paper and member papers had 
automatic reprint rights from all other UPS members. 

The purposes of UPS were to see that the papers came out. It 
helped start papers, get national advertising into them, and gave 
legal advice and publicity to the papers. 

The UPS organized the microfilming of papers, so that many 
libraries now have permanent copies of local and national papers 
such as the Chicago SEED, the BARB, etc. Indiana University in 
Bloomington, for example, has several hundred reels of these papers 
from 1966-1975. 

To join the UPS, papers had to send a $25 fee, honor the rule 
about sending copies to each member, and also send 10 copies to 
UPS for microfilming, advertising and publicity purposes. 

UPS was generally like the Associated Press in much of its 
organization and activities. It sponsored conferences where member 
papers sent writers and editors to share ideas and experiences. UPS 
did readership surveys to find out what readers liked, disliked and 
how the papers could better serve the readers. 

The name of UPS was later changed to the Alternative Press 
Syndicate in 1973. “Underground” was a word that members felt 
was detracting from their attempts at being accepted by the society 
it meant to serve. ; 

Through the most productive years of UPS/APS the organization 
was guided by Tom Forcade, the founder of HIGH TIMES. 

At the same time the UPS was finally gaining a major following, 
Ray Mungo and Marshall Bloom formed the Liberation News Service. 
This organization, originally based in Washington DC, acted as a 
servicing organization for news stories. That is, it sold news, comics, 
and anything else that staff members could produce, to over 300 


The Fishing Hole 87 


underground and overground papers for $15 a month for three 
weekly packages by mail. A typical packet might include photos of 
a recent riot, a story about a history professor burning a flag in 
class to discuss whether he was burning a piece of cloth or a symbol 
of America, editorial cartoons on the upcoming Chicago Democratic 
Convention and a plea from the Yippies for all the heads to visit 
it. 

Bloom had been the editor of the college paper EMHERST 
STUDENT and head of the United States Student Press Association 
while Mungo edited the Boston University NEWS. In late fall 1967 
the two started LNS and soon rented a large building—in fact, it 
was so large that it eventually housed several movement groups 
including the Washington FREE PRESS and a junior high school 
underground monthly called the GORDON FREE NEWS. 

At one point I.F. Stone, muckraker at large, warned the LNS 
founders that LNS shouldn’t ever become the mouthpiece of the 
Students for a Democratic Society. But after a move to New York, 
the LNS staff swelled with members of the SDS. So Bloom and 
Mungo liberated their own news service and took it to Massachusetts 
while the SDS members of the staff were watching a Beatles film 
put on as a benefit for the LNS, according to Ray Mungo’s book 
FAMOUS LONG AGO: MY LIFE AND TIMES WITH THE 
LIBERATION NEWS SERVICE. 

Stripped of everything that wasn’t nailed down, the empty office 
was left for an angry staff to find. After discovering the new address, 
the SDSers tried by force to retrieve the printing press which was 
the most vital part of the service. Even beating up the founders of 
the LNS wasn’t enough to get the press back and until February 
1969 there were two versions of LNS. The founders finally gave up, 
though, and the other LNS continued to service members until late 
1981 when there were not enough subscribers to finance even their 
shoestring budget. 

During its heyday the LNS even serviced a small mimeographed 
high school paper called QUACK that averaged four pages an issue 
and yet got enough news to put out a paper ten times that size. 

That was then...In my next column I hope to outline current 
press organizations, although right now there is no substantial press 
service that zines can financially afford and get rapid national news 
reports from. Hopefully mentioning these organizations from the 
past will encourage someone to come along and organize another 
LNS or UPS. 

Any press organizations reading this are requested to send me 
information on their group. I’d also like to hear from any zine 
editors involved in such organizations. You can write me at PO Box 
4083, Terre Haute, IN 47804-4083. 


DRUMMER BOY 
by Mary Wallitt De Young 

















A new book about the adventures of one of Mrs. De 
Young’s ancestors, Henry Wood, who fought in the Civil 
War as a member of the Union’s 121st New York Volunteer 
Regiment, from 1862 to 1865, Antietam to Richmond. 

The book includes Wood’s own autobiographical narra- 
tive as well as a host of supporting material, from Army 
songs to newspaper accounts. 

This 362-page softbound book is available directly from 
DeYoung Press for $13.50 postpaid. 


De Young Press 
PO Box 7252 
Spencer, IA 51301-7252 





88 Curmudgeon Corner 






CuRMADGEON & 
WM CORNER 






oe 


_ 


AMERICA IS A LIE 
by Garry De Young 
America is a lie, a belay cass of a lie and those who can’t see 


through it are doomed by their stupidity. 

My views of the American legal system, which has not one 
damned thing to do with eae are well known. As well known 
are my views of the absolutely corrupt and manipulative political 
system which has been taken from the 
by the corporate PAC system. 

Our congressmen and senators do not represent us, not by a 
long shot. In fact, here in Iowa’s Sixth District, which runs from 
Sioux City to Mason City, I am the only de-factor Representative 
of the Spee ag I am the only candidate who ever truly want out 
and talked to the people and have grappled with them with their 
(my) problems. But the massive power of the Establishment media 
coupled with the power of the banking “agribusiness complex” is 
ig os overwhelming. 

ere not only is no free mig in America (except for the 
puppets confronting us daily on the television screen, over the radio 
and in our big city newspapers), but on the contrary, people with 
ideas and insights not acceptable to the prevailing one party corporate 
system are effectively suppressed. 

We are governed by a permanent congress where 99% of 
incumbents are re-elected, these incumbents wrens our 
one-party Capitalistic system with two candidates, Republican and 
Democratic, each being neither democratic nor republican in nature. 

The most repressive of these two factions of the capitalistic parties 
is paradoxically that faction known as the Democratic Party. The 
conservative faction on the other hand is the more liberal when it 
comes to providing free speech opportunities. 

The background of this paradox follows: 

Because of the fear of being branded “left wing” or “liberal” we 
often find the more truly liberal elements within the Republican 
ard where it is “safe” to express liberal rhetoric in guised language. 

or this reason there are many liberals within the Republican 


erican people and captured 


Party. 

amverebly, because of the same factors, many who are truly 
repressive and ultra right wing end up in the Democratic Party 
where they can “hide” their true sentiments and pretend to a 
liberalism “with responsibility”. 

The net result of all this is that within each sector of this one 
Capitalist Party there are those who emerge to serve the interests 
of the corporate ideal, that ideal being to subvert the Constitutional 
guarantees of the people in exchange for their total claim to power. 

This of course means that there is no dialogue permitted in either 
Party, or elsewhere. 

e talk about uprisings in Romania and in Panama, as well as 
elsewhere in the world, yet right here in American the people are 
the most docile, the most easily led and misled by those entrenched 
with power as much as leaders in the Eastern bloc, the difference 
being the sophisticated nature of the control, the very tight control, 
a control demanded now by the ple themselves with such 
eo tyrants as drug czar William Bennett and his repressively 

scistic mode of thought and behavior. 

We are “permitted” to have our innocuous protests providing we 
don’t step on the grass or spit on the sidewalk. 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Actually, Americans are very much law-abiding in nature, this 
attitude being the result of twelve years of indoctrination in our 
public schools which place a great premium on not tossing a piece 
of paper out of the car window (in Washington, DC, the fine for 
this is $1,000!) and at the same time teaching our kids that they 
must not be “extremist”—setting the stage for complacency and the 
forgiveness of wrongdoing, so long as the wrongdoer is a good 
God-fearing Christian. 

All of this is background, just a tiny part of that massive 
background of conditioned nationalism coupled with a perceived 
unbridled capitalism. 

The propaganda barrage is not only overwhelming, it is filled 
with outright lies, carried to us by the lying messengers such as 
Tom Brokaw, the MacNeil/Lehrer yes men and the skillful opinion 
columnists and comedians such as The Capitol Gang and their ilk. 

We have our permanent Congress and we have our permanent 
“foreign policy experts” who are called upon whenever we have a 
crisis, usually a crisis brought about by these leaders imposed upon 
us y the corporate thieves. 

ese “experts” are invariably those who fled some other country 
and are now professors in some college or university, usually a 
Catholic college such as Georgetown University. 

We are always treated to the “expertise” of the White House 
criminals, Nixon, Kissinger, Brezhinsky and Ford—the crook who 
pardoned the crook and now gets honoraria to speak to other crooks 
at Rotary and Kiwanis gatherings. it figures that this crook was also 
a Boy Scout. 

ever can the media come up with an expert on foreign affairs 
who can even speak English and they are almost invariably Roman 
Catholic (of course)! Why is this? Can’t our colleges produce foreign 
a experts? 

ore background. Now let’s get to the meat of things. 

We bombed civilian (ghetto) areas of Panama in order to capture 
Noriega, a man who was set up in the drug business by the CIA 
when George Bush was the Director of that agency, with the blessing 
of our House and Senate intelligence committees. 

I’m not into drugs. It’s just not my bag. But if George Bush is 
art of that scene and if jolly Ollie North and Deniability Chief 
oindexter and the military people, state department people and all 

those other crooks were involved, then the very least the American 

ple can do is hold massive protests demanding that these people 
ore including especially President George Bush, also be brought to 
trial. 


This nonsense of setting up a dictator and then when he fails 
to serve our purpose set up a puppet government which cannot 
hold control without our. strong support, military, economic and 
diplomatic, and then upon failing to obtain the results it seeks then 
goes and invades that country, set up its own puppet government 
and then tries to con us with the whopper that this government 
has called for our support, must consider us the most innocent 
dupes on the face of the earth. 

Yes, if we really are looking for an honest government then we 
must go all the way and call for the resignation of both George 
Bush and his sidekick Dan Quayle and every other member of the House 
and the Senate. 

You then ask, “But who will run the government?” 

It really makes no difference because thts government today is 
not functioning in our behalf at all. It ic the handmaiden to the 
Trilateral Commission which has given America away to the Japanese 
and West Germans. 

Since we have been betrayed by these forces of Trilateralism, 
making our money worthless, creating endless homeless people 
because they cannot make the terribly expensive mortgage or rent 
payments, since we no longer even make a pretense about givin, 
one good damn about our citizens’ right to free medical and denta 
care, the right to a decent place to live, the right to a fair legal 
system, we may now ask for help from those countries who have 
seen the folly of our political system, such as the Japanese, who 
ask, “When you say 51% of the people determine the outcome of 
an election, what about the other 49%—aren’t they represented in 
your Congress?” To which we must shyly reply, “No”. 

I have no representative in Congress. Never have had. 

The Democratic, Republican, Socialist and other parties ‘are 
bankrupt a:’d have nothing to offer, What we need today is a totally 
new form of government, a government which includes instead of 
excluding. 

Since childhood I have always been an outsider and I think now 
is the time to make the Kissingers, the Doles and the Bushes those 
on the outside looking in—unless they are in jail, where they belong 
and from that vantage point they can be the new insiders. 

(Garry may be reached at PO Box 7252, Spencer, IA 51301-7252) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 





by Bob Grumman 

This installment of my column is going to be rather self-indulgent, 
for its main subject will be the Runaway Spoon Press, which you 
steady readers of USA TODAY will know is the one-man press I 
run out of Port Charlotte, Florida (over $100 in sales in 1989, and 
still expanding!) During November and the first week of December 
I printed 9 new titles, and I just can’t wait to let people know about 
them. And I figure that if I’m going to be guilty of conflict of 
interest, I might as well shoot the works, and advertise ALL 36 of 
my press’s offerings. It won't really be that much of an indiscretion. 
For one thing, the artists I publish are the same ones I'd be writing 
about here, anyway. The world of experioddica isn’t large, and by 


now RASP seems to have captured almost all of its inhabitants as 


authors or illustrators or preface-writers. Besides, I will also discu 
non-RASP works. 

At the same time, I will surreptitiously add an installment to this 
magazine’s Why Publish? section by telling you how and why I’m 
a publisher, A main reason is to get on record as a part of the 
culture of my time. A bid for immortality, in other words. But there 
is also a practical side to it: to get some rant or poem on record 
is a way of turning it over to paper that can restate or redeclaim 
it for you while you go on to other things. A further plus is the 
increased feedback that should therefore result. Indeed, feedback—or 
the ideas and art of others in return for mine—is probably as big 
a reason as any for my’ efforts to get into print. 

Al this, of course, has to do with self-publication. But I use RASP 
to print a lot of other work besides my own. Why? Well, as a way 
of joining a worthwhile Cause—and helping other artists I admire 
find an audience. But also simply to enjoy the intimate contact with 
those others’ work that can come from re-typing it, laying it out, 
or otherwise becoming publishingly involved with it. There are other 
reasons, too, some of them careerist. None of those are major, 
though—I hope. 

In any event, I started my press in the summer of 1987 six or 
seven months after an inheritance had allowed me to buy a Xerox 
copier. I had on hand an illustrated children’s book for adults that 
I'd put together ten or more years before and always thought worthy 
of publication, despite the contrary opinions, form opinions, of the 
commercial publishers I’d sent it to, so I decided to use my copier 
to publish an edition of it. The book was A StrayngeBook. When 
it came out, Mike Gunderloy declared in print that it was “a strange 
book indeed.” He also said that it was ”(g)reat fun to read, with a 
few cryptically-spelled words and intriguing line drawings on every 
page, and a rather nice moral.” 

I quote my editor's words not only because they’re eminently 
accurate but because I’m the kind of clown who enjoys the idea of 
pulling a fast one. Mike is now paying his staphers, you see, and 
the payment is based on word count, so now he has to pay me 
for his own words! Hey, if I really wanted to take ad van tage I 





Experioddica 89 


could star t break ing my words up ex peri odd ically and really 
make bigBucks. But just toshow I’magoodguy, I’llnow experioddically 
reversemy shadytactic. Okay, we’re back to fair—if wasting so many 
words on this kind of frivolity is fair. 

Since publication, A StrayngeBook has sold almost 60 copies, 
and been reviewed some ten or twelve times. A hot item, in other 
words. But I had an ad rejected for it! That was a jolt: the first 
time I’d ever had something I’d written and paid to have printed 
rejected. The rejector was a yuppie mainstream libertarian magazine 
called REASON. My book was in part an attack on censorship, so 
I thought REASON would not only be pleased to let me advertise 
it on its pages but might even review it. No way. I managed to 
get ads for A StrayngeBook into a few other magazines, though, 
but only the ad in THE NATION produced any sales (5, I think). 
Advertising in the mainstream press hasn’t worked for me. 

After publishing A StrayngeBook, I decided to do Geof Huth’s 
wreadings and then Karl Kempton’s fission, Huth and Kempton 
being friends of mine whose work I admire. Both books are 
collections of what I call “alphaconceptual poems”, a term Huth 
accepts but Kempton deplores. 

Alphaconceptual Poetry is poetry whose main effects stem from 
what its letters (or other “sub-denotative” elements such as 
punctuation marks—or spaces) do conceptually to its meaning. Thus 
Kempton, by breaking up the word “sematography” into “se ma to 
graph y” gets the following messages, among others, into it: see 
Mother (“Ma”) for help in your analytical geometry lesson; observe 
a man’s mother to work out the effect on him of his y-chromosome; 
consult the Eternal Mother in order to understand (or “graph”) the 
Final Why (y). And Huth’s 2-page 2-word sentence, “wuidwhinds 
myrrhmyrrh” uses spelling to weave Chaucerian England and Bible 
fragrances and all kinds of other magicks into a description of music. 

Speaking of Huth, he is another publisher (as, in fact, most 
experioddica artists are, including Kempton, the publisher/editor of 
KALDRON). Indeed, Geofs printing escapades have often been 
chronicled in FACTSHEET FIVE, in this column and elsewhere. I 
bring this up because his press, dbqp, now has a new catalog 
available which contains reactions to each of dbqp’s over 70 products 
by many of the best underground art commentators around (including 
ME and A:ditor Gunderloy), at their commitedest (whether negatively 
or positively). It is definitely an arrangement of materials fun, funny 
and illuminating in itself besides being a serviceable catalog, and is 


» available for an SASE from dbqp, 225 State St. #451, Schenectady, 


NY 12305. 

Huth has also recently printed ALABAMA DOGSHOE MOUS- 
TACHE #5 (available from dbqp for $3 postpaid) which features 15 
rewarding poems mostly visual including a charming collage by Joel 
Lipman that locates the origin of poetry in magic tricks and magic 
trick instructions blurring through an attic’s-worth of puppets, games 
and toys, multiply-recollected. Poetry not so much as sorcery as 
instructions for sorcery—that really appeals to me. 

Among the many other recent dbqp products is a fine collage 
by Guy R Beining (HIT BROADSIDE #12, which is available from 
dbqp for 50¢ postpaid), which includes a segment of movie film 
with 8 frames of the back of an unmoving man’s head and shoulders, 
and other representations of halted human meditation out of or 
against two curt views of a building (I think) in such emphasized 
perspective the building seems a wooshing metaphor for the rush 
of time. The near-word, “len”, is part of the collage, too, suggesting 
“lense”—sigh lense, or so goes one of the hundreds of ideas the 
work can seem to express. 

Beining is one of RASP’s featured artists, by the way, eight of 
its titles comprising Piecemeal, the press’s only multi-volume work. 
so far. Piecemeal contains dozens of collages like the one just 
described, and is ably commented on in three prefaces along the 
way by Harry Polkinhorn. Polkinhorn also has a RASPwork all to 
himself, except for its introduction by Dick Higgins: the collage 
sequence, Summary Dissolution. A dislocational narrative of societal 
and personal breakdown, it lurches through shards of anatomical 
illustrations, antique musicological diagrams, wood-cuts of maps, 
recent U.S. postage stamps and the like, until it, but not the 
aesthcipient, ends on the phrase “yet indefinite”. 

Five other collage sequences I’ve published are Miekal And’s The 
Quotes of Rotar Storch (with a wonderfully humorous but 
illuminating surbiography of And as Storch by his longtime friend, 
Crag Hill), Bern Porter's Neverends and Numbers, Chris Winkler’s 
Viscosity Induction, and Jack Moskovitz’s Artist As Autist. The 


90 Experioddica 


black cut-outs and disconnected phrases of Moskovitz’s sequence 
seem fragments of memories rolled like dice over and over again 
toward some meaning that never materializes, but whose misap- 
proximations build , finally, a patterned Beyond which makes the 
meaning missed seem no longer important. 

The best description of Winkler’s collages is the following line 
from Viscosity Induction’s introduction by Jake Berry: “Like waking 
up baptized in razors and stepping out bloodless.” Porter's collages 
are more playful than Winkler’s or Moskovitz’s, Neverends starting 
with images of lightning, then fluorescent lamps, and ending with 
shoes on sale, and wallpaper flowers; Numbers constantly knocking 
the ambience of the purest, most disinterested of Man’s symbols 
against their involvement with supermarket sales, Lotto, and the 
like. 

The Quotes of Rotar Storch is one of my recentest RASPs, and 
the first that’s 11 by 8.5, all the others being a fourth that size. 
“Experimedia simplexity”, is how And describes it. “Oblique” and 
“red taste’, words printed, with other oddities, on the upside- 
downside-up man’s face on its cover would describe it as well. 
However described, it is an excellent sampling of And’s wide-ranging 
poetry/philosophy/vizlation. 

And is also the co-author, with his wife Liz Was, of the 
RASPbook, Fluxonyms. The last of RASP’s three books devoted to 
alphaconceptual poetry, it consists of polysyllabic coinages such as 
preacheatomenought, which are then unspelled to such chains of 
fascinating word-neighborings as “preach each ache cheat eat atom 
tome omen men enough ought”. 

The books I’ve been discussing by Beining, Polkinhorn, Mos- 
kovitz, And and Porter fit into a category of vizlature (visual art 
and literature combined) that I call illuscription. Illuscription’s 
vizlational and verbal elements are both significant but more or less 
separate from each other—or at least not fused, as they are in visual 
poetry. One other RASPbook I would include in this category is Bill 
DiMichele’s Capacity X, which combines cryptic phrases somewhat 
like those in Polkinhorn’s book with line drawings of various X’s 
(as vortex, starfish, crossroads, lilac, bridge, x cetera) which together 
splash out an interpretation of the poet's vocation as the contra- 
mathematical multiplication of any unknown’s value into infinity 
rather than its reduction to some final small particular. 

My favorite form of vizlature is visual poetry, or poetry whose 
visual, not orthographic or textual, elements center its metaphors, 
but so far my press has published only five titles devoted mainly 
to that genre: Stephen-Paul Martin’s Until It Changes and 
ADVANCINGreceding, Jonathan Brannen’s Warp & Peace, my own 
An April Poem and Lloyd Dunn’s Inbetweening. 

Martin’s Until It Changes is built of blocks of repeated lines of 
text (four to a block). Every block (except the first) rests on one or 
more other blocks which have fragments of text in common with 
it. Thus the block “answeredquestions” rests on the block “bored- 
withansweredquestions” and that in turn secretes the block “fin- 
dingthingstogetboredwith”. All this slows an aesthcipient’s read into 
see, and know into flow. And charming surprises happen such as 
the subsequent metamorphosis of “findingthingstogetboredwith” into 
“thingstoget” into the amusingly oxymoronic “togetherfallingapart”— 
out of which drops a block of “all” and a block of “gap”—with, of 
course, a gap between them. These in turn yield two side-by-side 
blocks speaking of “crumbling walls” and “gaping wounds” which 
then fuse at their gap into a single block which contains just the 
word “saga”. The burning of Troy, in other words! Or: what petty 
materialism (“things to get”) caused by dead philosophies (“answered 
questions”) might lead to? 

Martin’s other RASPwork, ADVANCINGreceding, carries out a 
similar flowing development in letters whose subject is more the 
way the eye works than the way the mind does, for it investigates 
negative and positive space. Brannen’s Warp & Peace flows like 
Until It Changes, too, but letter by letter through the phrase “warp 
& peace” instead of word by word or phrase by phrase through a 
more extensive narrative. And Brannen’s designs have an entirely 
different kind of visual appeal than Martin’s. 

Brannen is also responsible for the RASPbook Ethemity, a 
collection of delicately shaped poems which most people would 
consider visual poems but which I fastidiously count “visually 
enhanced textual poems” rather than “visual poems” because their 
visual elements are tonal rather than metaphoric—or peripheral 
(though highly effective) rather than central. They work like, and 
mostly are exquisitely refined versions of, the sensitive lineation (line 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


endings, and beginnings) that is a part of most modern free verse. 
But wait—I just looked through Ethernity again and found several 
poems whose shaping not only makes metaphors, but large 
metaphors. For instance, a rectangle with just the word “open” in 
it; a subsequent curve; and the overall ebb-and-flow or back-and-forth 
shape of the poem “Summer” say fully as much about the shorefront 
“now after now” or the poem’s subject as the poem’s flowingly 
just-right text. So forget its exact category; just call Ethernity a lovely 
group of lyrics. 

Before finishing with Brannen, I'd like to call attention to a 
collection of his called Approaching the Border (available for $13 
from the Konglamerati Press, PO Box 5001, Gulfport, FL 33737). It 
is one of the most beautifully printed books of poetry I've ever 
come across: paper of the finest grade, for instance, and pale yellow 
lines making unobtrusive but appropriately gentling frames around 
each page’s text. But it would be just another example of boutique 
press merchandise if not for its content, which is—well, let me quote 
just one short sample: “lit/gh/ /lit/gh/ /little/ghosts”. Distorted light 
flickering partway into being, then out, then partway back, then 
out; whereupon: little ghosts. But also the flicker of words into and 
out of litness, and the visualization of silence, and much else for a 
properly RAPSized mind. 

My own An April Poem uses the dot of an “i” as an opening 
into a haiku-memory of some forsythia’s shielding two children from 
a rainstorm (and, at a dollar, is RASP’s cheapest book, except for 
its catalog, which is only 45¢ in stamps). The last of RASP’s visual 
poetry selections, Lloyd Dunn’s Inbetweening, is a collection of 
outtakes from a video he made of, among other things, the growth, 
letter by letter, of the word...“inbetweening”. The strategy behind 
the sequence is simple enough: a letter is shown, then distorted in 
steps until it changes into the next letter of “inbetweening”. The 
joy of the book for me, though, is not its strategy, but the wit and 
freshness of each tactical maneuver by which that strategy is carried 
out. For instance, an E gives up 3-dimensionality in making its 
change; and a W becomes first a white, then a gray, square, on its 
way to becoming another E—which in turn slides away to reveal a 
twin rather than changes into it—which might sound minor but in 
context seems wonderfully fresh. 

Yikes. According to my computer’s word-count, I’ve come to the 
end of my column without having discussed all the books RASP 
has done—nor even a tenth of the nonRASP books I was going to 
treat. They'll all have to wait till my next column, I guess. 

Note: all the RASPbooks mentioned in this column (except for 
A StrayngeCatalogue and An April Poem) can be purchased for $3 
apiece from RASP, PO Box 3621, Port Charlotte, FL 33949. 


BY LLOYD DUNN 
with] an 
introductlion by 
F. John | Herbert 





co ol. ae 


> >) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 





CONSPIRACY 
CORNER 


posyranz}p 661g) 


by Kerry Wendell Thornley 


tot 
C_____ and I spent the day in McDonough, Georgia, as extras in a 
Johnny Cash movie called The Baron, in which we were spectators at a pool 
exhibition. They didn’t complete the filming, so we have to go back at a 
later (as yet undetermined) date. 


took tok 
Today’s date: 7 August 1984 
Yesterday’s date: 6 August 1984 


tok took 

No work today. T____’s becoming unpredictable. Of course J.___, for 
whom he allegedly works, is always getting confused and going wild about 
one thing or another. Unless he understands exactly what is going on, he 
develops an hysterical theory and goes charging into action at once. So there’s 
no telling how long the job with T____ will go on or how dependable it 
will be. 

So I’m going to try to get it together to go to Action Labor 
tomorrow—though without an alarm clock that'll be hard. 


tok kk 

I write something like that Forget-About-Jesus rap and everyone attempts 
to examine my religious beliefs, to which I say: “Five Pounds of Flax!” 

Actually, I think that probably before Abraham was, I Am. (i.e., that 
perhaps consciousness is intrinsic to materials, inherent in the molecules or 
atoms or energy) 

Other than that, I don’t believe in God. Nor do I think anyone’s 
metaphysical beliefs are anyone else’s business—and I wish everyone 
(particularly the Jesus freaks) would keep their opinions to themselves, and 
just pray for me, in secret, if they must worry about what I believe. 

When I write something like that it is as explicit as I care to make it. If 
I wanted to presume to define the nature of the Unknowable for you, I 
would. Theology is a debate among learned academicians over who to frame 
for creating reality. I don’t blame anyone. 

One elusive point for anyone who is ready for it is that life is beautiful 
without messiahs—a point that Preston Harold said in THE SHINING 
STRANGER Jesus himself was trying to make—in the tradition of Samuel, 
who wouldn’t become King of Israel (probably). 

If I had to pick a religion, it would be Taoism. All value in what Jesus 
said was destroyed by the priests and their magic (Of course, had I been 
raised in China...), who decided to emphasize the irrelevant and ignore the 
anti-colonialist ideology in the Gospels. They’ve been so successful the very 
name of Jesus is tainted with abysmal superstition, so that if you try to 
salvage such truths as that he wasn’t a moralist, etc., people just pass over 
it—those reading it thinking it is heresy and those who would understand 
it preferring, understandably, not to read it because it is about Jesus. 

I'm tired of people who talk about Jesus. I think we'd all be better off if 
more people developed secular mentalities—without necessarily acting like 
19th century materialists, either. , 

Anyway—long live page 212 of QUOTATIONS FROM CHAIRMAN MAO! 


tok totok 
T hate to have to stoop to write anything like that rap I just wrote. It is 
like trying to explain a joke. Yesterday, though, I actually was being quizzed 
about my opinion of the great Tao that cannot be named. 


kkk 
This I believe: Every human being is—either because of evolution or an 
innate way of nature—born into this world with an enlightened consciousness 


Conspiracy Corner 91 


that is curious, loving, ecstatic, freedom-loving and erotic, and that early 
social conditioning obliterates and fractures it. Then every so often, by one 
method or another, an individual either survives this conditioning almost 
without scars or manacles one way or another to recover partial Unconditioned 
Being—at which time they are declared either saints or lunatics, depending 
upon their relationship with the society in which they find themselves. Jesus 
was declared both. That controversy was interesting for a couple of thousand 
years, maybe. 


kkkkk 





C. (or C____’s mind controller) says that my actual opinions are 
infuriating to those in power so I should allow everyone to lie about what 
they are. 

Why? 


So the people in power can remain unchallenged in their authority? So 
that a class war can be prevented and we can also eventually suggest abolition 
of government? 

How can I ascertain that it isn’t the masses, instead of the authorities, 
who are being deceived about what I say? And of course, like I said, I’ve 
no way of telling whether or not that is just the opinion of my son’s mind 
controller anyway. 


tokio 

No direct communications are allowed about anything relevant between 
me and anyone else. (Most of the indirect communication is also irrelevant, 
but that’s another matter.) If I begin to establish direct communication I’m 
called a paranoid or I’m screamed at, etc. Or I’m harangued (in the case of 
Glen Duncan) until I’m so tired I cannot wait for it to end. 4 

I can understand why. How do you talk to somebody with a surveillance 
arsenal attached to them without endangering yourself by admitting you 
tealize it is there? The point, though, is it leaves me in an epistemological 
quandary. I’m unable to ascertain the source of any data—even data about 
the sources of previous data comes in the form of cryptic blind assertions. 
There is no connecting point between the plainly acknowledged world and 
the obviously present technocracy that is only vaguely described in cryptic 
hints. 

For all I know, everyone I talk to could be an unconscious victim of mind 
control unaware of the canted meanings of what they say. All my discussions 
in cant could simply be dialogues with mind controllers in a distant laboratory. 
If not, things are so much in that direction and of that nature that I am 
equally as much at a loss as to what to believe, who to trust, etc. 

So when people are insulted because I don’t need their advice I can only 
assume they are unaware of my situation anyway. When this advice is so 
Personal as to be rude or when it is coupled with threats or bribes, in lieu 
of arguments that conform to logical laws, then I am all the more inclined 
to disregfard it. 

toto 

IT don’t want to be told how to crawl “home”. I want you to kill all the 
people who manipulate human relations in order to create artificial scarcities 
in them so as to keep us under their control, or I want you to shut up about 
the subject. In the words of the song, I believe in the hereafter: “If you're 
not here after what I’m here after you'll be here after I’m gone”. And I’m 
here after natural rights and human liberty for as many of us as possible. 


toto 

Let me see if I can describe this Conspiracy (called, “That” in cant) as 
accurately as possible in terms of a representation that was presented to me 
in the Krystal today, on P’tree near 10th. : 

A young (presumably) Chinese guy who looks like a puzzled Jerry Wingate 
in a Communist Anarchist (black and red) t-shirt with two ideograms in a 
circle—signifying confusion about ideogrammatic communication or the lack 
ot it—with “Karate” (signifying the monetary sources that support my family 
or people’s kin in general) inscripted in such a way as to indicate a belief 
that it is in an extremely anti-authoritarian political position, whereas actually 
it isn’t. 

Also round-rimmed gold-glitter glasses, signifying he is thinking about 
gold-based monetary mutualism as espoused by Robert Anton Wilson (almost). 

My commentary: in the first place, this is no time to be plotting a 
Communist Anarchist Revolution. Our first step is to expose the racist 
conspiracy behind the Vietnam War and to determine who the wealthy owners 
of absentee agricultural land are in nations where people are starving. Our 
American working class is much too alienated to be capable of the cooperation 
needed for communalism. And any attempt to topple the government without 
adequate cultural preparation will only result in rule by a military junta that 
will step in afterwards to restore order. 

Moreover, the Morgan gold money conspiracy isn’t anti-authoritarian. It 
is an extremely conservative or fascist rightist movement that does, however, 
support Communist Anarchism and Populism as alternatives to Bolshevist 
Dictatorship. Principally, though, it is opposed to the U.S. government, which, 
being a corrupt mess anyway, it is hard to support—although I see no 
alternative, to an attempted restoration of the original Republic and the Bill 
of Rights in particular—as a first step in the direction of creating “a new 
society in the hulk of the old order”, as the [WW was once attempting. 

That freedom to organize that the First Amendment would guarantee is 
necessary first, though. Trying to organize like this—with canted communica- 
tions under the noses of technocratic Big Brother—is impossible. 

(to be continued) 

[A:ditor’s note: The previous installment of this work appeared in FF33. 
Kerry Thomley may be reached at PO Box 5498, Atlanta, GA 30307) 





92 Video 





Videos for review may be either sent to the Aiditor or directly 
to Belka Stamas at 1218 S. 11th, Philadelphia, PA 19147. Inquire 
before sending Beta format tapes. Please send all information on 
alternative TV programs for NTSC CYBERBEAT directly to Belka. 


kkk kk 

BLOODY MESS AND THE SKABS ($15 “or trade for weird, 
bizarre or sexual videos” from PO Box 9021, Peoria, IL 61614): 
Flanked by TV news coverage front and back, most of this tape is 
live performances (5 of them) by Bloody and his outrageous punk 
band. They do all their biggest hits, songs like “Punk Pulpit” and 
“Nigger” and “Cigarette on the Clit”—clearly, if you’re socially 
sensitive, you'll want to avoid this tape. There are also backstage 
scenes and some chatting with Bloody at home, including one scene 
in which he masturbates with a rubber alligator. Offense is a way 
of life for some people, I guess. The technical quality is uneven, 
with the splices between film being especially awkward, but the 
sound is up to the blasting, sloppy punk rock that the Skabs purvey. 


(MG) 
kk kkk 
DEATH COMES RIPPING (JD Babylon, 7329 Oak Dr., Glendora, 
CA 91740): This black comedy is a good watch. If you consider bad 
cinema high art, this 20 minute short is a candidate for the Louvre. 
The acting, pace, cinematography and purposely bad dialogue 
contribute to an enjoyable story. I only wish the budget would have 
included a blank gun that works. (BS) 


kkkkk 

DOCTOR DEATH ($12 from Webster Colcord, PO Box 40347, 
Portland, OR 97240-0347): A twenty-minute postnuclear splatter 
feature. There’s some plot flavor of Mad .Max here, with Doctor 
Death barreling down the road in a school bus and attacking people. 
But the police and the zombies both get on his trail, and things 
look bleak. Fortunately (?) there are still plenty of unexploded nukes 
laying about, enabling the Doctor to bring the cyborg cop to a fitting 
conclusion. The limited budget shows, but the SFX are still fun; the 
four of us watching this found the whole thing hilarious. Colcord 
has done quite a bit with available resources, and I'd rather watch 
this than an awful lot of more “commercial” films. (MG) 


kkkkk 

THE FILMS OF Y. TOM YASUMI ($14.95 from Video-SIG, 1030-C 
E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086; order #13624): Eight short 
features down while Yasumi was at the UCLA Animation Workshop. 
Mostly wordless (though there are background noises), they tell 
human stories, often in symbolic, exaggerated fashion. “The Wild 
Bus” is perhaps the best thing here, a slapstick drive to work in 
the morning. “Beyond the Z Quad” explores the nature of freedom 
for a beer-bellied college student. Yasumi works with extremely 
simple drawings, with a style that gets a bit old after a while—the 
hour on this tape is about as much as I could stand. (MG) 


kkk kk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


FIRE ENVELOPE (Kirk-O-Matic, 4803 Timberline Dr., Austin, 
TX 78746): This is a 30 minute collection of Kirk Hunter music 
videos. Some of the clips are done in traditional Kirk-O-Matic 
style where layers of images, superimposed and distorted, sync 
up to the soundtrack. These songs gall into the 60’s retro or 
synth pop mode. Some other tunes Kirk’s set to visuals are more 
of a folky nature, whether the performer is taped in a “live 
studio” situation. As usual with Kirk, it’s a nice job. (BS) 


Lahtehiahatel 

THE MICHAEL ROCKEFELLER STORY & 3 other shorts 
($15.98 from Judy Pokras, PO Box 1598, Stuyvesant Stn., New 
York, NY 10009): The opening piece is a sort of punk 
documentary, an interview with David Rockefeller’s son who got 
fed up with being part of the upper crust and is now a struggling 
performance artist somewhere on the East Side. It features both 
interview, concert and performance footage, and presents a 
picture of one rather alienated young man. The other three 
features—Hot, Cold, Etc., Animal Magnetism, and Self Portrait—are 
all much shorter, five minutes tops, and would serve well to fill 
in blank spaces on innovative video shows. They feature enigmatic 
camera work and sounds, with Animal Magnetism being a song 
performed by the now-defunct band Communism. Very ex- 
perimental looking, artistic stuff. (MG) 


kkk 

MARK NAFTALIN’S BLUE MONDAY PARTY #1 ($14.95 from 
Video-SIG, 1030-C E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086; order 
#12718): The Blue Monday is a weekly blues show which Naftalin 
hosts in a small, intimate club setting. This is an excellent recording 
of one such night—the sound, video and production are easily up 
to PBS standards, with clean editing and good camerawork—featuring 
John Lee Hooker and Charlie Musselwhite. Even if you're not a 
special fan of the blues you'll probably find this a soothing tape; 
blues mavens, of course, will love it. (MG) 


kk kkk 

THE POOR MAN’S JAMES BOND STRIKES AGAIN ($39.95 
from Atlan Formularies, PO Box 327, Harrison, AR 72601): The 
second tape from Kurt Saxon, publisher of THE SURVIVOR is even 
more fun that the first one. It starts off with something completely 
different, as kindly old balding Uncle Kurt takes you into the kitchen, 
and shows you how to make...sprouts. He also covers thermos 
cookery and three-grain pancakes, as well as the construction of a 
simple food dryer. But don’t worry, it’s not all culinary skills. Kurt 
also builds a bomb out of some odds and ends (including 160 book 
matches and two quarts of gasoline) which makes a fairly impressive 
fireball. He demonstrates the making of the “fang”, a device to 
deliver poison into your opponent, and the extraction of nicotine to 
put into it. There’s also a simple smoke bomb that ought to clear 
any room. Try too much of this at home and you might end up 
(like Kurt) shy a few fingers. But with proper caution, this sort of 
thing can be a lot of fun. (MG) 


kk kkk 

TERROR OF TINY TOWN ($14.95 from Video-SIG, 1030-C E. 
Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086; order #13760): Many of you 
have undoubtedly heard of this. For the others, it’s a classic (1938) 
Western, with musical interludes—distinguished by the fact that it 
has a cast made up entirely of midgets. There’s cattle rustling and 
a crooked sheriff and a good guy and a bad guy and a pretty girl 
and all the other cliches. For me, one of the high points was trying 
to figure out where this was filmed; I’m betting on Hopetown, just 
a few miles from where I grew up (and not all that far from the 
hills where Charlie Manson used to hang out, but that’s another 
story). The print is a bit choppy at the start and end, but fine in 
the middle. Or at least as fine as the ludicrous material allows it 


to be. (MG) 
VIDEO NOTES 

®California Newsreel (149 9th St. #420, San Francisco, CA 94103) 
is a non-prvfit film distribution gorup. Their “Black Africa Emerges” 
catalog contains half a dozen films about African-American history, 
while the “South American Media Center” catalog is a selection of 
anti-apartheid films. You can get either catalog for the asking. 

eDrift Distribution (83 Warren St. #5, New York, NY 10007) 
handles a variety of avant-garde literary videos, on both rental and 
sales basis. This includes works from Leslie Thornton and Steve 
Fagin. 


Gy. 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Video 


eFry’s Incredible Inquiry (HC76, Box 2207, Garden Valley, ID 
83622) carries a number of videos from well off the beaten path. 
These include ones on miracles, UFOs, how to triple your memory 
and intelligence, South American mysteries, and so on. Their catalog 
should be available for a couple of stamps. 

eIntermedia Arts (425 Ontario St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414) 
is a nonprofit arts center that distributes a number of videos on 
Native American issues, social justice, and contemporary arts, among 
other subjects. 

eThe Music Video Collector (J. Rochet & Associates, Box 127, 
114-41 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, NY 11375) is a catalog of 
commercial music videos for sale. You can get a copy of this 42-page 
catalog for $2.95. 

eTRINITY SQUARE VIDEO (172 John St., 4th Fl., Toronto, ONT, 
MST 1X5)is an artist-run video access center with membership fees 
starting at $150 per year for individuals. They have a great deal of 
equipment available for studio or mobile use, and offer instn :tion 
in how to do neat things with it. Looks like a well-established g oup, 
judging by the PR I’ve seen. 

@VIDEOWAVE is a cable TY show which airs on Manhattan 
Cable, Paragon Cable and QPT., and has been running since 1982. 
They’re looking for short tapes (under five minutes) from video 
artists they can interview on the show. Tapes (with return mailer 
& postage) can be sent to either Alan Abramowitz (producer) or 
Judy Pokras (Interviewer) at Video Wave, PO Box 571, Peck Slip 
Station, Brooklyn, NY 10272. They prefer 3/4 inch tape, but 1/2 
inch is acceptable too. 

@Mike Wiss (5327 Reed Pl., White Bear Lake, MN 55110) and 
some friends have started an independent music show on their local 
public access channel. They spin records and show any and all 
videos they can get their hands on from indie bands. 


NTSC CYBERBEAT 

by Belka Stamas 

“I don’t know about art, but I know what I like.” This is one 
of my favorite quips Lux Interior croons on The Cramps “Smell of 
Female” album; it’s the first line of the song “Gorehound”. Loaded 
lyrics often cause a surge of envy for any writer that spends hours 
doodling in a notebook, hoping that an accidental jotting will project 
into something concrete, something that can be considered original. 
Where do these people get such fodder for imagination? Obviously, 
they have a personal relationship with God. 

Recently I’ve been on a Victor mature kick and since “Sampson 
and Delilah” was checked out at the video store, I picked up a copy 
of “I Wake Up Screaming”, a noir genre flick released in 1942 with 
Mature, Carol Landis and Betty Grable. Landis and Grable are sisters 
living in New York with ole Vic, the Sheik of Araby himself, 
promoting Carol’s modeling career while falling in love with the 
spinster sister with the million dollar legs who makes her living as 
a stenographer. When Vic finally gets Betty alone in the apartment, 
he makes some sort of high-brow comment about a painting and 
the response by Grable is: “I don;t know a lot about art, but I know 
what I like”. Which only goes to prove that there’s better living 
through television. | 

Norm Orschnorschki of “Forced Entry” fame (see FF31) seems 
to be feeling much the same way. Norm wrote me about the 
problems he’s been having with film festivals, how they'll take your 
money, promise a screening, and usually deliver nothing. The only 
exposure he’s getting is from alternative cable programs and 
independent fanzines. 

Norm asked if I’d expound a bit on the festival process so readers 
won't deplete their bankbooks chasing a ghost. I can only give 
personal experience and feelings generated after investing over $200 
in entry fees, hours of filling out entry blanks, and the slow process 
of walking to the post office with the yellow package-pick-up slips 
to receive my entry rejections. Looking back on it, I consider it 


positive. 


When my first video was finished, I wasn’t fooling myself about 


“broadcast quality”, the writing, the acting, or the soundtrack; but" 


I felt that I had a short that could hold its own with similar works 
I'd seen screened at a local art house—many, if not all, of these 
clips were funded and had done extremely well at festivals on local, 
national and international levels. Considering most decisions are 
arbitrary when dealing with any form of festival or contest, I 
researched which festivals would best suit my type of production, 
then blanketed those bases with the proper formats suggested. 


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The producers of Channel K have assembled an outrageous half-hour spoof of television, featuring 
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shows single men how to score chicks and save bread at the same time, and “Handy Dan," who 
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O 13688 San Francisco Talent Vision: Volume 10 
Taped at various San Francisco nightclubs, SFTV showcases some of the new talent from the SF 
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episode, you'll witness the talents of SHOCK EXCHANGE, TOP CAT and THE STICKBAND. 28 
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O 12717 Percy Mayfield: Poet Laureate of the Blues 
This documentary of singer/songwriter Percy Mayfield includes concert footage as well as inter- 
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won.aW.C. Handy Award from the the Blues Foundation. 27 minutes. 


O 14302 The Brain That Wouldn’t Die 

A young surgeon has discovered he can keep alive the head of his fiancee, who was tragically 
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‘O 14218 Hamburgers, Comma, Shoes and Other Stuff 


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O 13203 Xerox Ventura Publisher 

Enter the world of desktop publishing with this instructional videotape. Throw away that rubber 
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94 Video 


While waiting for the results, I explored other options: the first 
being alternative television and the second, art-house screenings. 
Underground TV was fast. Within one month, Trauma TV out of 
San Francisco sent a card saying I'd been screened and to send 
anything else I had. That was a feel-good week. I'd also been in 
touch with 911 Contemporary Arts in Seattle; they had ads in FILM 
THREAT and THE INDEPENDENT requesting tapes for a screening 
at their facility. Alan Pruzan in Seattle wrote back requesting not 
only my tape, but other indies in Philly so he could produce a 
group show. I took a classified in the local film club newsletter to 
see if I could generate any interest. This proved successful. 

When organizing the Seattle show, I was quite flattered to be 
screening with the hodgepodge of experienced producers that 
responded to the ad. I didn’t judge any of the work, just took it 
ona first-come, first-served basis and as luck would have it, compiled 
the two hours of shorts required for the group show. After my 
initial viewings, I was more than pleased by the quality of work 
and thought the ethnic and genre mix was interesting too: an Asian 
American, African American, feminist, an old beatnik and two 
abstract painters combined to create a mixture of experimental, 
documentary and narrative pieces. It was during this time the 
rejection slips from the festivals began to accumulate. 

I asked the other producers in the show what their experiences 
had been with festivals. Some had done well, some had never 
cracked in and some had had limited success, but could not repeat. 
The gist of their advice was that it’s arbitrary. I took this as a law. 
The quality of these artists on the humane side coupled with their 
professional experience in either commercial/industrial video or 
feature length films or stage or academia could not be denied. 
Although most of their combined works have been purchased by 
the local PBS station’s Independent Acquisition Fund and broadcast, 
they haven’t blazed a trail through the festivals. 

The Seattle show got postponed. A group from New York City 
bum: us back a few months, but this tribe from Manhattan had 
already been discussing the possibility of a group screening with 
Alan Pruzan in Seattle for some time. I took this as professionally 
as possible and waited and finally, in March, the Philadelphia artists 
were granted a presentation. It went extremely well, especially 
considering I was coordinating everything through the mail or phone 
lines. A week after the screening I received a UPS package with all 
tapes returned, copies of the graphic artwork used for promotional 
purposes, and comment sheets the audience completed after viewing 
each short. The only disappointment was the size of the audience, 
roughly 20 people, and since I'd already been screened on TV, I'd 
become accustomed to anticipating extremely large numbers of 
potential viewers. In order to save time I had to make some decisions. 

When Norm Orschnorschki wrote, he included a well documented 
package of letters to the various film festivals stating problems he’s 
had with them, specifically on promised goods never delivered. He 
has a legitimate gripe, and yes, he did receive a variation of the old 
Jerry Reed song, “She got the goldmine and I got the shaft”. 
However, this is the film business and anyone who has had even 
limited success is undoubtedly carrying what they used to call “the 
secret brand” at Gulag. To the best of my knowledge, this is the 
status quo in all phases of the arts. 

From working through the festival system, an art house (not to 
mention dealing with other art houses which is another column in 
itself), and underground TV, I decided to concentrate on alternative 
television and fanzines. Norm stated he had ‘great response and 
success when using these two resources also. In its current state, 


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FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


alternative TV has not become institutionalized, is not financially 
motivated (which eliminates the graft), appreciated works with 
entertainment value, has an extremely large audience of potential 
viewers and can give you a real kick in the pants when you see 
your work screened to the general public. 

From working with the alternative television community, I 
received the moral support I needed in the form of broadcasts after 
spending a sustained amount of time, energy and money on a 
tedious project. The feedback, both positive and negative, was 
encouraging and this enabled me to continue pursuing video as my 
artform of choice and springboarded additional projects in both 
commercial and non-commercial venues. This is why I choose not 
to trash the festival process. I’ve found a place of my own. 


NTSC CYBERBEAT LISTINGS 

DDT-TV (Ed Stastny, 9018 Westridge Dr., Omaha, NE 68124): 
Ed is starting a new show which will feature shorts, cartoons, humor 
clips, band interviews, political/social commentary and is open to 
suggestions. 

ART? (c/o Covert Music, PO Box 5868, Toledo, OH 43613): A 
half-hour weekly show aired on TV-48 in Toledo. The show is a 
video gallery which showcases the works of independent artists. 
Send tapes on 1/2 inch VHS to producer Kenneth Knab. 

TRAUMA TV (PO Box 42405, San Francisco, CA 94142-2405): 
Trauma TV has a potential viewing audience of over 300,000 and 
networks on Channel 25 in the Bay Area at 5PM on Thursdays. 
Producer Victor Ariel designs the program for film/video artists 
looking for exposure and accepts 3/4 inch, 1/2 inch, or 8mm 
videotapes. 

ACADIANS OPEN CHANNEL (c/o Christopher Cart, False Eye 
Video, Route 3 Box 210A, Crowley, LA 70526): Chris is having some 
censorship problems, but is still looking for shorts and keeps 
broadcasting. 

REAL GEORGE’S BACKROOM TV (PO Box 724, Clifton Park, 
NY 12065): The most complete alternative television show going. 
Contact George Guarino. 

GEORGE MARANVILLE (208 Zandale Dr., Lexington, KY 40503): 
George is looking for shorts or series to air. A good information 
source concerning alternative TV and programming. 

FILM CRASH (423 Atlantic Ave. #4A, Brooklyn, NY 11217; 
(718)-643—-6085): A regular screening space for indie films which is 
currently seeking. exhibitors. Contact Scott Saunders. 

VIDEO VERITE (Attn: Greg Horn, A-TV, the American Univer- 
sity, 216 MGC, Washington, DC 20016): A-TV, closed circuit station 
at American University, is looking for indie and student films & 
videos. Works should not exceed 15 minuts and must be submitted 
on 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch tapes only. Schools are welcome to send 
collections of work. 


LaneE Bevtaut 
KOE ER 










_ 
; \ 
ga fen’ oS 


PA, at ya ‘ 
DOr see ol! 
bt 








vad 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Audio 95 





AUDIO 
REVIEWS 


Well, thanks to some more help we're pretty well caught up by now. All 
music received before the January 10th deadline is either reviewed below or 
out with a reviewer for the next issue. If you don’t see your release within 
four months of sending it, please phone me to check on it. We remain 
committed to reviewing all independent music we receive. 

Once again I'd like to remind people that we really want to print price 
and ordering info with our reviews, but it really helps if you put a price and 
address on every record or tape. 

Reviews below are by pj bellomo (pj), Kevin Byrne (KB), L.J. Cunningham 
(LJC), Karin Falcone (KF), Tom Gogola (TG), The Aiditor (MG), Amy Guskin 
(AG), Ken Johnson (KJ), Jay Mentes (JM), R. Miller (RM), Cris Elligott Rowles 
(CER), Carol Schutzbank (CS), Kyle Silfer (KS) and Dina Williams (DW) 


took kek 

1313 MOCKINGBIRD LANE, “Hornet's Nest” b/w “My Hearse (is Double 
Parked)” (Scarab Records, 564 Park Ave., Albany, NY 12208): “Dedicated to 
the genius of Bob Gallo”, this psychedelic retro-release is loaded with fuzz, 
sludge guitars, and the sort of organ work which reviewers find it obligatory 
to call “cheesy”. The band sounds like they’re having a heck of a good time, 
and as you can tell from the lyrics, they don’t seem to take their homage 
to the garages all that seriously. (45/MG) 


tototkotek : 

3, “Dark Days Coming” ($6 from Dischord, 3819 Beecher St. NW, 
Washington, DC 20007): Potent fast-paced rock that doesn’t let up for a 
second. Despite their semi-breakneck speed, this 4-piece manages to sound 
melodic and cheerful while singing about the most depressing things. Their 
lyrics are emotional and political, a heartfelt screed about the current state 
of the American electorate and society. The ominous title cut, with its opening 
line “There’s a dark current running through the heartland/I[gnorance will 
define this time” sums it up pretty well. (LP/MG) 


kk kkk 
555, “Melissa” ($3 from John Six, Nonoxynol-9, PO Box 7792, Rego Park, 
NY 11374): A strange mix of outre music. There’s some rock, including the 
title cut, which is actually sort of cool in a rough way. But there’s also 
recorded messages from the phone company, found sounds and loops, minor 
cra) and general experimentation. Dismal in places, dapper in others. 


tok kk 
“60 Minutes of Banjo Hell” ($4 from Graham Trievel, Box 481, Rt. 113, 
Lionville, PA 19353): The title of this one is accurate, at least if you consider 
hell to be an insipid place. Recorded in low-fi, this has some of the least 
memorable banjo solos ever, including the worst cover I’ve heard of “Dueling 
Banjos” (yes, worse than “Duelling Tubas”). Graham is into trading, so swaps 
for other tapes of similar properties might work out well. (T/MG) 


took 

8TH ROUTE ARMY, “Chernobyl Cookbook” (1 Dimensional records, PO 
Box 923, Northampton, MA 01060): A single from this band was one of the 
first bits of music ever reviewed in FF, and I’m happy to see them still 
around and much matured musically. They play straight-up rock and roll, 
occasionally slipping towards psychedelia or near hardcore, but never allowing 
themselves to be pigeonholed in a narrow genre. I loved “All Dead Radio”, 
ome complaint about the zombies running the airwaves today. 


tothe 
THE ACTION FIGURES, “Slang” ($6 from Horseman Records, PO Box 
444, Rockland, DE 19732): Engaging poppy/folky music with some tinges of 
harder stuff. It’s not real cerebral stuff—the lyrics to “Phil’s House”, for 
example, are in the good old dumb mode of repeating everything a zillion 


times—but it’s fun. Very melodic and upbeat, without falling into pop cliches. 
(T/MG) 
tok tok 

PIER LUIGI ANDREONI & FRANCESCO PALADINO, “Aeolyca” (Violet 
Glass Oracle Tapes, 6230 Lexus Ave., Lot 105, Temperance, MI 48182): 
Ambient gothic-inspired music with an enduring, timeless quality not unlike 
the music of Eno, Mobelius and Roselius in some of their offerings (especially 
the album “After the Heat”). A lovely release that exudes a stately dignity 
while still managing to be warm and welcoming. (T/CS) 


kkkkk 
ANIMATION FESTIVAL, “A Christmas Festival” (Trade Only from Michael 
Behaviour, PO Box 5833, Winter Park, FL 32793-5833): Having Animation 
Festival do Christmas songs is a bit like asking Leatherface to do a poetry 
reading; the result is not going to be what the composer intended. Downbeat 
gothic space electronic music makes tunes like “Silent Night” and “Jingle 
Bells” all but unrecognizable. Disturbingly updated songs. (T/MG) 


tok kik 

THE ANNOYING BUTT-PLUG BROTHERS, “Farewell Concert” (Russ 
Stedman, 311 1/2 N. Main #301, Mitchell, SD 57301): Sloppy guitar-rock covers 
of a bunch of hits from other folks: “American Woman”, “Cocaine” and “All 
You Need Is Love” among them. There’s also a few that seem to be original, 
like “Vicky and Her Penis/Vagina Thing”. Tucked in the B side are some sort 
of recorded comedy sketches, including the world’s most aggravating sports 
call-in show. (T/MG) 


tok tok 

ANOMALY #1 ($5 from Jake Berry, 2251 Helton Dr. #N7, Florence, AL 
35630): Ninety minutes of experimental texts and noises gathered by Jake. 
John Bennett and Bill Shields contribute some of the most normal poetry 
here, which will warn some of you of the rest. Michael Miskowski, Qwa 
Digs Never Parish, and others explore the breakdown of language, Music in 
the Blood presents a choral rendition of a sound poem, and John Eberly 
bombards us with animal noises. Harry Polkinhom, Greg Evason, Stacey 
Sollfrey and Willie Smith are among the other contributors. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 

DANNY ANTONELLI, “Endless Avenues” (Blacklisted Records, Jarrestr. 
80, 2000 Hamburg 60, West Germany): An LP of pensive, shadowy readings 
with well-orchestrated background music and sounds. Each piece was printed . 
on the album sleeve, which I found helpful because of the unexpected 
direction of the work. Antonelli weaves poems & stories of contemporary 
people and/or situations that become slightly warped; such as Pimples, who 
died from eating too many Henry James novels. (LP/pj) 


took 
MURILEE ARRAIAC, “Nevada Justice Squad”. (Wounds Patriot Tapes, PO 
Box 4171, Irvine, CA 92716): Sampled and synthesized madness, all in minor 
keys and with nasty undertones to it, guaranteed to keep you on edge. It 
has its moments, coming close to some of the material on Harsh Reality at 
times. But many of the neo-industrial tracks seem to drag, and overall the 
tape simply doesn’t cohere. An experiment in need of refinement. (T/MG) 


took 
ART LEPERS, “Release of Death” ($2.50 from Matt Comell, Stungus, PO 
Box 6963, San Mateo, CA 94403): A mix of sounds old, new, and instantly 
generated. The Art Lepers put together their own quasi-industrial drums, 
guitars and keyboards with sampled and stolen music and texts from all over. 
Preachers, classical music, jungle rhythms, dirges...it’s all muddled together 
here. A musical meltdown. (T/MG) 


took tok 
AXEMASTER, “Death Before Dishonor” (581 First Ave., Kent, OH 44240): 
Energetic heavy metal that pulls out all the stops. It’s fuelled by non-stop 
guitar madness and appropriately bombastic vocals. The title cut is probably 
the best thing here; although it won’t win any prizes for depth, it’s got all 
the power you could ever want. 7 songs in all. (T/MG) 


kk kkk : 

BAH & THE HUMBUGS, “Original Instruments” (Breakfast Communica- 
tions Corporation, PO Box 176, Paoli, PA 19301); Amusing Christmas rock, 
recorded live, with piano and guitar featured prominently. I enjoyed the 
paranoid “Snowmen”, “Presents of Mine” (which gets into the real meaning 
of Chrsitmas) and “The Little Strummer Girl”, though it’s hard to pick favorites 
here. This one is going back on my stereo the next time the holidays roll 
around. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 
JOHN BARTLES, “Orange Album” (PO Box 288, Springwater, NY 14560): 
Funky rock music (about half of it recorded by Hermanos Guzanos, a California 
group we have featured in previous issues) fronted by Bartles’ gravelly vocals 
and bizarre lyrics. “President’s Head”, about the joys of trepanning the head 
of state, is a real joy; “Junk Bond Babey”, “Alleghenny County” and “Bright 
Orange Possums” are just weird. There’s a psychotic edge to this stuff, a 
sense that at any moment they could erupt from their semi-jzaay complaceny 

and turn viciously on the listener. (T/MG) 


tok kkk 
BASTRO, “Diablo Guapo” (Homestead Records, PO Box 800, Rockville 
Centre, NY 11571-0870): From the ashes of Squirrel Bait comes Bastro. With 
three of the former band’s members, they create hard, fast, pounding music 
that at times sounds hell-bent, or perhaps more appropriately hell-driven. 


96 Audio 


Comparisons have been made to Big Black and in places they're valid. The 
hard drum, scathing guitars and strained vocals are there, but not everywhere. 
Much improved over the 1988 EP “Rode Hard and Put Up Wet” (LP/LJC) 


kkk 

“BAD BOY” BUTCH BATSON, “Twisted and Bent” (Dutch Boy Records, 
PO Box 25982, Greenville, SC 29616): A monaural monotonic demo tape. 
Batson’s voice is reminiscent of a frog with severe throat problems, and the 
minimal guitar backing does nothing to add interest to his songs, which tend 
towards the more insipid country and rock theres. Indeed, even the best 
session musicians in the world couldn’t add much interest to his voice. A 
discovery not waiting to happen. (T/MG) ; 


kkkkk 

BEARDED WEIRDO, “Minefield Tapdance” (515 N. Cass Ave. #3F, 
Westmont, IL 60559): I can fill in the gaps of this three-song demo and 
imagine Bearded Weirdo in a live setting—artless, uncontrolled energy, 
rendezvousing with Royal Crescent Mob for a funked-up garage band success 
story college tour. “Letter to Rolling Stone” (“One token left-wing critique/in 
a rag full of adverts for Chic”) addresses those who've since moved on to 
SPIN with chords borrowed from the Ramones’ most famous punk anthem. 
Effective in a sweaty, naive kina way. I say book ‘em. (T/KF) 


kk kkk 
BELLAS ARTES, “Transition” ($3 from Daniel Triana, 841 2nd Ave., 
Elizabeth, NJ 07202): Generic mimicry of lukewarm anglo dance-floor fodder, 
even down to the packaging of this three-song cassette. Counterfeit Joy 
Division/New Order. You'll swear you've heard it before and you're right. 
Buy one if you're still buying this stuff—but just to fool your friends. (T/KF) 


kkk kk 
BIG BOYS, “Wreck Collection” ($7 from Unseen Hand, PO Box 49767, 
Austin, TX 78765): A 17-song retrospective of this now-defunct Austin band, 
purveyors of a twisted, hardcore, funky skate rock. There’s demos and 
unreleased songs here, as well as a couple of their best including “History” 
and the driving “Sound on Sound”. Vintage stuff that’s aged well. (LP/MG) 


kkk tek 
BIG CHIEF, self-titled (PO Box 7944, Ann Arbor, MI 48107): In the 
tradition of Mudhoney comes mucky, sludgey grunge from Detroit. “Super- 
stupid” and “Brake Torque”, pressed on green vinyl, are about as grungey 
as it comes. Good work from an up-and-coming band. (45/DW) 
kkk 
BIG DRILL CAR, “Album Type Thing” (Cruz Records, PO Box 7756, 
Long Beach, CA 90807): Stupid band name. Stupid album title. But the guitar 
work...all is forgiven. Mark Arnold’s riffs lead this band through two heady 
sides of energy, with lyrics that don’t even register because the slab of noise 
is so good. Oh sure, there are vocal harmonies in there somewhere, but I 
just enjoy the hard rock sound of it all. (LP/MG) 


kkkkk 
THE BILL JONES SHOW, “Sing Along With the Bill Jones Show” (PO 
Box 2707, North Canton, OH 44720): Quirky pop music that seems like a 
cross between, say, Daniel Johnston and Little Fyodor. Jones (a group? a 
? who knows) seems to recognize this genre as ap) te, titling one 
song “Jad Fair Shook My Hand”. Other proto-hits include “Sick Day Off” 
and “The Obituary Song”. (T/MG) 
kkkkk 
THE BIRTH DEFECTS, “Setting our own path” ($5.50 from Patrick 
Fournier, 295, 4e Rue, Laval, QC, H7N 2A6, CANADA): An 8-song demo 
tape that sounds pretty dar good. These dudes started out with a punk 
hardcore sound—some of their faster numbers remind me of Angry Red 
Planet—but they've evolved, and one of the best cuts here is the emotion-laden 
near operatic “Stuck in a Wall”. They’ve got both the passion and the talent, 
and I'd like to hear more of their stuff. (T/MG) 


wth 
blackgirls, “Procedure” (Mammoth Records, 5 W. Hargett St. 4th Fl., 
Raleigh, NC 27601): How to describe the sound here? Guitar, keyboard, violin 
and ferocious vocals, the latter trading off between Eugenia Lee and Dana 
Kletter (with the third band member, Hollis Brown, doing some backing vocals 


Jonn Barrttes 


ALL ALBLUMS %e) 

Perera! meee 

&k SNOUT 

¥ The End of the 
Nuclear Age 

* The Orange Al blum 


P.0.BOx 286 
SPRINGWATER KY, /4560 











"FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


as well), wildly syncopated rhythms, intense lyrics (especially on the title cut, 
a visit to an abortion clinic)—and this still doesn’t sum up the sheer power 
of blackgirls wriiting and playing. I’ve been keeping an ear out for this band’s 
LP debut ever since I was fortunate enough to hear their “Speechless” EP a 
few years ago. I’m not disappointed, and expect to hear much more from 
this unique combination in the future. (LP/MG) 


kkkkk 

BLACKMALE, “Let it Swing” (Ruffhouse/Enigma Records, PO Box 3628, 
Culver City, CA 90231-3628): I’m sure there’s a name for this style of music, 
but I don’t know what it is. The guys in Blackmale put together elements 
of dance music, rap, funk, and hip-hop—and probably more—to form their 
own blend of somewhat naughty dance tunes. It’s attractive the same way 
as good neon work: electric, lots going on, slick, and very modern sounding. 
(T/MG) 


tek totk 

BLAKE BABIES, “Earwig” ($9 from Mammoth Records, 5 W. Hargett St., 
4th Fl.,. Raleigh, NC 27601): The Boston area has spawned a number of 
eclectic pop bands, and this is one of the latest. After some personnel changes 
they’ve settled down as a 3-piece, though there’s a fourth on some of these 
(Evan Dando, now with Lemonheads). The sound is bouncy, all angly guitars 
and tradeoff vocals (the only real flaw is that Juliana Hatfield tends to drone 
at times). Mellow but with surprising spots. (LP/MG) 


ttt tok 

THE BONEDADDYS, “Worldbeatniks” (Chameleon Records, 3355 W. El 
Segundo Blvd., Hawthome, CA 90250): It’s The Bonedaddys—music’s world 
beat rockin party on a tape. Fans of just about anything that has a beat can’t 
miss here. The energy crackles off this release as it jumps, jives, jitters and 
skitters through a whirlwind of global rhythm and rock. The strength and 
verve with which they execute material lets you know that this band is a 
must-see in the live arena. (T/CS) 


tote k tk 
BOOTBEAST, “Carnival” (Noiseville, PO Box 124, Yonkers, NY 10710): 
There’s a lot of influences working here, and it shows. The vocalist (from 
Drunks Wif Guns or Mighty Sphincter?) sounds like a mix between Biafra 
and Bowie. Frantic and edgy, with some dance club rhythms. Bootbeast 
reminded me of what an English psychedelic Fugazi might sound like. (45/TG) 


tek kk 
BOP (harvey), “Bread & Circuses” (MDTA, PO Box 23257, Providence, 
RI 02903): With their full-bodied world beat rhythms and funky horns it’s no 
surprise that these guys are building up a following fast. The music varies 
from mellow (briefly) to manic (much more often), and lyrics from just silly 
dance stuff to reasonably serious, as in “Lazarus Speaks”, a Bible story 
updated and made danceable. Hot stuff. (CD/MG) 


kkk 

BOROX ORGY, “Drenched In Chemicals” ($3 to K. Kreider, PO Box 322, 
Ashburn, VA 22011): This vacillates between high cheese and low raunch, 
with plenty of diversion in between. “Boofur” is down and phlegmy, while 
“Sand Bats” is a pastoral delight. “Vile Toad” has hilarious lyrics (“vile 
toad/once a vital toad”) but even it can’t beat the bloated goof metal of “War 
Tuna.” “Between Your Thighs” (”. . . you've got the longest pubes I’ve ever 
seen.”) was a bit much, though. With 32 tidbits here, there’s a surprise 
around every corner. (T/TG) 


kkk 

BOUFFANT JELLYFISH, “Check my Boogman” ($2 from Rob Gray, 400 
W. 34th #102, Austin, TX 78705): A four-song demo that left me hungry for 
more; I was crushed when I turned the tape over and found nothing else. 
BJ is a five-piece funky rock band with traces of world beat on the strong 
lead track “Shrimp and Chicken Jambo”. “Surf the Funkwave” is also an 
interesting mix. There’s just a trace of self-consciousness here, but once they 
get their groove down they'll be worth coking an ear for. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 
MICHAEL BOWMAN, “Fuzzy Logic” (Black Tulip, 56 Cleveland, Nutley, 
NJ 07110): Rough-edged somewhat psychedelic poppy rock, with some 
decidedly offbeat lyrics. “Rotting Corpse Girl” is a love song for the necrophiliac 


84 MIN 


POP THE CORK 
DRINK IT DOWN 





music cassetta:s? pstpd to What Hiss/p.oc.box 24155 
winston-salem, nc 27114 COD: 919-760-4438 <24 hrs> 


4 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


crowd; “Zygote” might be anti-abortion, but with its crazy imagery, who can 
be sure? There’s an edge to Bowman’s music that may spell either success 
or institutionalization, depending on whether his neuroses are shared by his 
audience. (T/MG) 


wok kk 

STEVE BUCHANAN, “Hanna Reitsch (The World’s 1st Jet Pilot)” ($6 from 
G. Gasiorowski, Violet Glass Oracle, 6230 Lewis Ave. #105, Temperance, MI 
48182): Steve Buchanan is joined by various other performers in producing a 
highly conceptual cassette. “Cybernetic Primal Therapy” is a multimedia work 
consisting of 6 poets, 10 musicians, 4 dancers and 20 AM radios. Other tracks 
feature live concert and radio performances and studio improvisations. This 
release is definitely something you have to be in the right frame of mind to 
listen to, otherwise the discordant sounds and frantic instrumentation might 
wear a little thin. (T/KJ) 


kkkkk 
BUG, “Suck On It JFK” ($2 from PO Box 2143, Stow, OH 44224): 
Thrumming guitars, vocal howlings, exuberance and a tape machine stuck on 
fast-forward (or some other means of making high-pitched squeals) are the 
ingredients of Bug. They pack ten songs into less than half an hour here, 
with a structurelessness that approaches chaos at times but still contains some 
hint of music. (T/MG) : 


tok tok 
BUXINRUT, “Flew Seize On” (RD1 Box 49, Frederica, DE 19946): 
rimental rock, strange guitar sounds, a country twang here and there. 
Strange little songs from strange, fertile minds. Worth taking a chance if you 
like weird 4-track recordings. (T/DW) 

BUXINRUT, “Flew Seize On” (Ken Glanden, RD#1, Box 49, Frederica, 
DE 19946): These guys should either learn to tune up and stay in time or 
do a better job of passing sloppiness off as “dissonance”. Actually, for the 
first few songs, their schtick (jazz-rock-grunge fusion, heavy on the cheezoid 
flanger effects) is kind of amusing, but by the time you get to “Barfadelia” 
on the second side, it begins to wear a bit thin (to say the least). Could be 
worse. Could be raining. (T/KS) 

[Aiditor’s note: Apparently, these folks sent two copies for review and 
got away with it. Don’t expect to be so lucky.] 
tk kk 
CACTUS FOSSILS, self-titled (Flipside, PO Box 363, Whittier, CA 90608): 
FLIPSIDE is still taking the punk bands out of the garages and putting them 
out on vinyl. These guys are not exactly hardcore, but they’re somewhere in 
that arena—self-described as “a cross between Dwight Yokum, Keith Moon 
and Black Flag”. I liked the songwriting on “Paper or Plastic’, asking what 
good “freedom” is in a consumer-oriented society. (EP/MG) 


‘ tk 
CHAOS UK, “The Chipping Sodbury Bonfire Tapes” ($7 from Weasel 
Records, PO Box 1274, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266): This has the seminal 
hardcore English punk sound, although as far as I can tell it’s a new record. 
Judging by the back cover photos, these boys take their image to the extreme, 
but their playing is solid and their lyrics well-done. Most of their attacks are 
directed at capitalist scum, government or free-lance. (LP/MG) 


kkkkk 

THE CHEAPSKATERS, “Those Who Know...Know!” (Jeff Jarvie, 750-119 
North, Indiana, PA 15701): These are cheerless songs of alienation and loathing 
of self, others, and the world in general. The nominally “rock” instrumentation 
is competent, but submerged by the murky production. Sleazy sexual 
metaphors abound, some of them, inexplicably, referring to Kristy McNichol. 
A feast for sick minds, this one won’t appeal to those who like sweet, 
wholesome love songs. There’s real talent here, but one gets the feeling 
they're trying too hard to be offensive, and not hard enough to make good 
music. (T/RM) 


kk kkk 

THE CHEAPSKATERS, “Where Pablum is Stored” (Jeff Jarvie, 750-119 
North, Indiana, PA 15701): Snotty vocals, rudimentary instrumentation, and 
simple, folk-tinged rock songs vaguely recall the Violent Femmes and the 
late, lamented Godz. The lyrics betray an unhealthy fascination with Jack 
Ruby, strip shows, dead porn queens, and sleaze in general. The occasional 
electric guitar solo cuts through and enlivens the acoustic strums which are 
the heart of this music. The title track is a fairly amusing Dylan parody; 
production values throughout are fairly abysmal. In all, listenable; but hardly 
the stuff epiphanies are made of. (T/RM) 


kkkkk 

CHICKEN SCRATCH, “Important People Lose Their Pants” ($7 from 
Community 3, 438 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211): In the hands of some 
more normal band, lyrics like “There are plenty of squirrels to thank/They 
gather their nuts down at the bank” could have been an excuse for saccharine 
pop. In the hands of Chicken Scratch, they’re one small ingredient in total 
mayhem, barely controlled guitar chaos that swallows up the piano tracks 
from producer Albert Garzon. Their sonic assault takes no prisoners and bows 
to no conventions, making this a challenging but rewarding record. (LP/MG) 


tote tkotok 
__ MICHAEL CHOCHOLAK, “Date With Kali” (M&M Music, PO Box 38, 
Cove, OR 97824): This “soundtrack to the forthcoming adventures of Nik 
Ryogen, zen private-eye” ranges into various electronic atmospheres, each 
apparently corresponding to a scene from Nik’s thrilling escapades. Some of 


Audio 97 


it grooves on the same cyber-bop level as cheesy old Nash the Slash (though 
with far cooler rhythm tracks), but the bulk of it remains fairly unclassifiable 
homebrew electronica. Howling psycho-country guitar, hysterical flute trills, 
and hypnotic digital delay meditations rise above (and, somehow, complement) 
the hokier moments to create a rather compelling album. (T/KS) 


tok totek 
MICHAEL CHOCHOLAK, “Yellowjacket” (M&M Music, PO Box 38, Cove, 
OR 97824): More careful electronic music from Michael, who continues to 
explore new ways of relating sonically. This tape is more majestic and slower 
than some of his previous stuff, still in the dark, moody sound that 
characterizes much of his recent work. Check out the eerie “R’Lyeh” and the 
title cut, which graces the entire second side with its building horror. (T/MG) 


tok Ik 
CHURCH OF THE SUBGENIUS, “Hour of Slack” (PO Box 140306, Dallas, 
TX 75214): This is a recording of the main SubGenius radio show, hosted by 
Ivan Stang himself. It’s a mixture of ranting and music, including some 
otherwise unavailable tracks by folks like Zoogz Rift. The one I’ve got at 
hand features an anti-work rant and some humor from Bleepo Abernathy, 
but there are lots more, and for a buck you should be able to get a price 
list. (T/MG) 
tok tk 
CLANNAD, “Pastpresent” (RCA Records, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, 
New York, NY 10036): Traditional Irish music updated into the rock world, 
but this bears little resemblance to the manic energy of groups like Boiled In 
Lead. Rather, this is gentle (almost timid) woodlands glen rock, all intertwined 
vocals and harp melodies, that only rarely rises from pleasant to energetic. 
If you take your music along the lines of U2, investigate this; if you like it 
harder and darker, skip it. (LP/MG) 


tk bk 
COLUMN V, “Living At Downtown Beirut” (58 E. 1st St. #6A, New 
York, NY 10003): Not quite hardcore, this demo tape still has teeth-gritting 
power beats and pulsating music that packs a wallop. I can’t say any of their 
songs really stick, but the overall feel is of a solid, competent band that 
could go somewhere with more polish and personality. (T/MG) 
totoktok 
CONTEXT, “Product 1” (DM10 from Stefan Schwab, Tonspur Tapes, 
Eskilstunastr. 8, 8520 Erlangen, WEST GERMANY): Context is Stefan’s solo 
electronic music project, This is a rather slow-moving collection of noises from 
analog synthesizers, with a lot of echoing and repeating noises the gradually 
fade away and a gradual development. Think of the opening of “Fly Like 


— Ook 


J j e@ ae 
"Crazy" - Thurston Moore 


"It conjures up visions" - Brian Aldiss 


"When the last song was finished, all the birds fell dead 
from the sky." - Richard Schindler 


"A Salvador Dali of music" - GYPSY 


MICHAEL CHOCHOLAK 
M & M MUSIC 
P.O. Box 38 
Cove, OR 97824 USA 


send sase for free catalog _ 





98 Audio 


an Eagle” and you'll have a pretty close reference—only this goes on for 40 
minutes rather than a few bars. (T/MG) 


tokktok 

COSTES, “Lung Farts” ($10 from Lisa Carver, PO Box 1491, Dover, NH 
03820): 25 songs in fractured English (lyrics included), featuring masturbation, 
excretion, sex, other bodily functions, and Costes’ own tremendous egoism. 
The music is the minimal pop that generally accompanies his other works, 
making this a sort of extended rant with only tenuous connection to the idea 
of “songs”. The sound quality...well, putting Costes on CD is like your 
neighbors using high-definition TV to videotape their temodeling. It’s possible, 
but pointless. (CD/MG) 


totokkk 
CRISIS PARTY, “Rude Awakening” (No Wonder/Metal Blade, 18653 
Ventura Blvd. #311, Tarzana, CA 91356); Hard and heavy rock from the 
Pacific Northwest, shorn of the grandstanding tedium that infuses most metal 
bands. There’s a touch of Alice Cooper showmanship here, a touch of AC/DC 
heaviness, and a lot of original energy. Rock for your next party, when 
moving and grooving is more important than anything else. (LP/MG) 


toktek 

CYCLIC AMP, “Happy Ending” ($5 from Tumult, 2336 Market St. #107, 
San Francisco, CA 94114): Very raw, dark, grungey rock that’s not quite 
hardcore. There’s a more malevolent, challenging presence here than simple 
political opposition, a deep streak of outraged emotions. This comes out most 
clearly in “christiane”, an angry pagan blast against those who would foist 
their gods on others. Just Say Yes...but only if you like a strong experience. 
(T/MG) 


wk tkk 
THE DEADBEATS, “I Can See It From the Rocks” b/w “Your Cottage 
Is Nice” (Vacant Lot Records, PO Box 606, Red Bank, NJ 07701): In portraying 
this rock 3-piece as just plain folks, the promo sheet says they “aren't all 
that excited about this single coming out”. To tell the truth, neither am I. 
They're certainly sincere sounding, and the sax work is momentarily 
interesting, but basically this is a pretty unexceptional record. (45/MG) 


kekkk 

DEATH OF SAMANTHA, “Come All Ye Faithless” (Homestead Records, 
PO Box 800, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-0800): Death of Samantha has come 
a long way since their overlooked debut “Strungout on Jargon” in 1986. This 
new album is pop with a quirky sense of humor by John Petkovic plus the 
added attraction of crafty lyrics. It seems that the more I listen to this record 
I get a happy feeling and really start to appreciate the wacky humor that is 
sometimes missing from bands today. A nice change of pace from “serious” 
tock: (LP/KB) 


kkkkk 

THE DEL FUEGOS, “Smoking In The Fields” (RCA Records, 1133 Avenue 
of the Americas, New York, NY 10036): The Del Fuegos have taken a certain 
amount of shit for doing beer commercials, and in some cases this se2ms to 
have affected the views of their music. Granted, this album does sometimes 
sound dated or even tired, charges leveled at their.previous one. But there’s 
nothing wrong with being dated, not if that recalls the sounds of The Band 
and perhaps even early Springsteen. Solid rock, nothing out of the ordinary, 
but it delivers what it promises. (LP/MG) 


wkkkk 
DEREK AND THE STRATEGO MEN, “Derek's Big Big Hits” ($3.50 from 
Derek Pinkham, Hodsdon Road, Pownal, ME 04069): Mainly guitar, mainly 
instrumental, though there are lyrics on some tracks and backing instruments. 
Derek ranges musically from Hendrix to free jazz, moving around pretty fast 
but always maintaining a thread of melody in the jam to provide continuity. 
A few hot cuts here, including “Chopp”. (T/MG) > 


tht 

THE DEVIANTS, self-titled ($2 CASH from Dominic Cramp, 761 Lurtine 
Dr., Foster City, CA 94404): A rather varied trip through the worlds of 
experimental music. There’s a bit of ambient natural noise behind synthesizers, 
a bit of distorted vocals, some eerie tracks, a near-industrial one, and more. 
The Deviants don’t get stuck in a rut (or at least they haven't found their 
rut yet) but rather go on a far-ranging exploratory trip, acting as a sort of 
jungle guide to the listener. (T/MG) 


tet ttk 

DEVILSFOOD SNAKE, self-titled (Jeff Jarvie, 750-119 North, Indiana, PA 
15701); Fun, guitar-driven hardcore. This is teen splatter-movie Satanism, not 
serious enough to be scary. Their falsetto harmonies get tiresome quickly. 
“Sally’s a Succubus” is clever, and the most listenable track. These guys 
remind you on every track how well acquainted they are with Satan (“The 
devil greets me with a pound of weed”, “Satan gave me a spoon”, “Satan 
whispers lyrics in my left ear”, “Satan’s favorite band is Devilsfood Snake”). 
Interesting lyrics, but very overburdened with drug references. Nice guitar 
work. A note to their cover artist: snakes don’t have hands. (T/AG) 


tek tock 
THE DHAMMAPADA ($10.95 from Audio Literature, Inc., 325 Corey Way 
#112, South San Francisco, CA 94080-6706): The Dhammapada is a classic 
short work of the Buddha, here translated by Thomas Byron and read by 
Jack Kornfield from the Insight Meditation Center. The work concentrates on 
the basics, giving up, becoming unattached, abandoning striving. It’s simple, 
it’s straightforward, and seductively attractive. But I found this a hard tape 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


to review, because it made me want to stop striving so hard to write reviews! 
(T/MG) 


kk kkk 

JON DIAZ & DOUGLAS BALDWIN, “I Shall From Now On Do the 
Things I’m Not Supposed to Do” ($6.50 from Douglas Baldwin c/o Art Clowns, 
35 Caldwell St., Huntington Station, NY 11746): A selection of live. 
improvisational material with a sort of whining guitar ambience. They start 
somewhere between jazz and rock, with some West Indian rhythms sneaking 
in now and then. This is pretty far from the major currents and genres in 
music, and hard to appreciate for that reason, but on its own terms quite 


good. (T/MG) 
* 


tk kk 
DIE WARZAU, “Disco Rigido” (Polygram, 825 Eighth Ave., New York, 
NY 10019): The title might tip some of you off, but for the rest, this is a 
strange hybrid indeed: industrial dance music. This four-piece churns out 
traditional disco rhythms heavily overlaid with grunge guitar, sampled noises 
and sound bits, and dangerously warped vocals. A place for spandex and 
dirty leather to meet on the dance floor. (T/MG) 


kk kk 
THE DIRK HARTUNG COMBO, “Drained Wait” (SHM Tapes, Guido 
Erfen, Auguststr. 31, 5000 Kdéln 60, WEST GERMANY): Sort of industrial, 
sort of jazzy. There’s sax here, and organ, and accordion, and piano, and 
zither, and who knows what else. The pieces move slowly, rising and falling, 
not really building to any particular conclusion but just blending together. 
Throughout there is percussion and yowling. Very dark stuff. (T/MG) 


toktkk 
DISPOSABLE GOD SQUAD, self-titled (Tomo Asanovic, 68 Dean St. #2R, 
Brooklyn, NY 11201): Lush, Kramer-engineered rock that is simply loaded 
with hooks. Tomo’s bass is the lead instrument on several tracks, giving the 
group a lowdown visceral impact that is quite addictive. This stuff could 
almost be pop if it were toned down by about a hundred watts. Includes a 
cool cover of “Hot Child in the City”. (T/MG) 


totokkk 

THE DOC ELLIS COMBINE, “Droppin’ Out With The Doc Ellis Combine” 
(Bone Cabin Tapes, 522 Washington St. 3rd Fl., Hoboken, NJ 07030): 
Three-man acoustic guitar based rock that is somewhere in the folk to tockabilly 
axis most of the time, although on some of their covers (“Space Cowboy”, 
“Low Rider”) they wander pretty far afield. When they're at their best, the 
intensity overrides the simplicity of their style; this happens on “Seven Nights 
of Rock” and “I Need Your Luven”. But with 24 songs on this tape, there’s 
a few duds, as is only to be expected. (T/MG) 


tk kk 
DRESDEN DANSE, “Acid” (Harvard Square Records/One Dimensional 
Records, PO Box 1926, Cambridge, MA 02238): Though acid house as a fad 
is pretty much passe, there’s enough talent in this release to ensure its 
successful entertainment and interest factor for the listener. The songs are 
danceable (as to be expected from this genre) and memorable as well—with 
simple but effective hooks repetitively used atop the driving beat. (LP/CS) 


tototook 

GEOFF DUGAN, “Abreaction” ($5 from 379 Milledge Ave. SE, Atlanta, 
GA 30312): This is somewhere in the experimental to industrial arena, with 
Geoff playing around with various ways to combine tape loops, modified 
voice, and even autoharp. One track is nothing but applause, repeated until 
it becomes meaningless noise. Another comes from the Destroy All Music 
festival, an annual event where people assemble to be aurally assaulted, and 
I’m sure this satisfied them. (T/MG) 


tk kk 

RANDY DYER’S DIAMOND CHILD, “Created Image” ($4.50 from The 
Furnace Room, 10556 Lincoln St. SE, East Canton, OH 44730): Only three 
songs here, so it’s kind of hard to get a fully rounded impression. Still, 
what’s here is definitely worth hearing. Three bracing songs that I'd call 
psychedelic alternative barroom rock. Music you can settle in and drink a 
beer to, but with an “out-there” kind of edge and some wavy guitar work 
weaving in and out. (T/CS) 


tohototok 
JOHN EAGAN, “Industry” ($6 from Covert Music, PO Box 5868, Toledo, 
OH 43613): Melodic, really beautiful music here—including a gorgeous acoustic 
piece called “November”, and my favorite, “No Trace”, a moody new-wave 
instrumental. What lyrics there are are hard to make out but this tape makes 
great listening anyway. (T/CER) 


tok tok 
EAST OF EDEN, self-titled (Capitol Records, 1750 N. Vine St., Hollywood, 
CA 90028): Vocally Cinde Lager is like Chrissie Hynde: she’s able to convey 
a husky sensuality and raw mystery with equal amounts of conviction and 
gusto. Musically the material is lush, flowing, mysterious and ethereal—it’s 
pop music with a whole new dimension to it. (LP/CS) 


kkk tok 
EAT, “Sell me A God” (PolyGram Communications, 825 Eighth Ave., 
New York, NY 10019): At first I found this one sort of lackluster, but on 
repeated listens it picked up steam and now | think it’s in my A pile. This 
quintuplet of Britishers plays “swampadelic” music, all growly guitar chords 
and off-base tempos, that drill into the subconscious with their glacial 
stubbornness. Check out their cover of “Summer in the City”. (T/MG) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


wkkkk 

EIGHTH ROUTE ARMY, “Prodigal Son” (1 Dimensional Records, PO Box 
923, Northampton, MA 01060): It was interesting: the interplay of various 
influences and hints of familiar styles constantly shifts throughout their songs. 
One minute it’s gruff, acid-tinged beat-poet mid-60’s rock, the next playfully 
grungy early 80’s garage punk. In between it touched on metal, hardcore, 
pop and straight-ahead rock and roll. With each song you're convinced you're 
hearing something familiar and yet original enough to hold the attention and 
remain in memory. (45/CS) 


kkkkk 

LEE ERWIN, “Demented” (1 David Ln. #4A, Yonkers, NY 10701): A 
low-budget comedy tape that draws heavily on characters from TV (and TV 
theme music, for that manner, leading to a rather lo-fi release). The opening 
“Alvin in Hell” sketch was not promising, but some of the later material 
lightened up a good deal, with “Fozzy and Harriet” and “Wheel of Jeopardy” 
being a lot of fun. Lee is a pretty good mimic, and he comes up with some 
truly bizarre situations to throw cartoon characters and public figures into. 
(T/MG) 


kkk 

EXPANDO BRAIN, “Prounder Than Chower” ($3.50 from Vacant Lot 
Records, PO Box 606, Red Bank, NJ 07701): Short bursts of intense direct 
tunes. “Drug Yacht” is one hot tune with its blistering roller coaster romp 
and lightning speed drumming. “I Blame You” comes across in a Pretenders 
sort of way while “Gods Words” held me speechless. What more can you 
ask for in choppy punk pop? This EP would have made my top ten of the 
year if I had known about it. (EP/KB) 


tk kkk 

THE FAITH DEALERS, “Big Busty Beauties” (Limited Potential Records, 
PO Box 268586, Chicago, IL 60626): Killer rock with a lot of ingredients— 
psychedelia, raving guitar lines, sloppy vocals, energetic drumming—all thrown 
into one tasty stew. With tunes like “Big Black Cartoon” and “My Gerbil’s 
DEAD” you can see they don’t take their music too seriously; “PEACE” rags 
on the leftists pretty well too. Ignore the pretentiously smutty album cover 
and concentrate on the fast-paced breathtaking music. (LP/MG) 


kkk 

FIDELITY JONES, “Piltdown Lad” ($5 from Dischord, 3819 Beecher St. 
NW, Washington, DC 20007): This is one of those records that encourages 
reviewers to play “spot the influences”, thanks to its diverse, hard-driving 
tock sound. I heard flashes of calliope, blues, and even vocals reminiscent 
of a young Alice Cooper on one track. What it boils down to, though, is a 
band with its own, not unpleasant sound, but one that takes getting used 
to—especially when it sinks in that most of the lyrics are about the mess 
we've made of the world. (EP/MG) 


kk kkk 

FINGERHEAD, “Audio Misery” (eff Jarvie, 750-119 North, Indiana, PA 
15701): This is a band that is trying desperately to be hardcore, which amounts 
to their second biggest problem. Their biggest problem is that this tape is 
inaudible. What you do hear seems quite calculated. Besides some disturbing 
racist, sexist, fascist themes, “Audio Misery” is rife with boring repetition: 
many mentions of Gone With The Wind, Elvis, media sexpots, the Earth being 
hollow, penises. This tape is not for sensitive types. (T/AG) 


tok kotok 
FIRE PARTY, “New Orleans Opera” ($5 from Dischord, 3819 Beecher St. 
NW, Washington, DC 20007): Grunge, anger and pain from three women 
and a guy. Hot power-pop infused with metal and hatred. Outstanding cuts 
include “Prisoner” and “Fire”. Not to be missed. (EP/DW) 


tok tok 
MARGARET FREEMAN, “The Comm Dept” (Christophe Mielle, 182 Ave 
Jean Lolive, 93500 Pantin, FRANCE): Edgy keyboard-laden rock that mucks 
around with familiar sounding themes to produce something to get the 
adrenalin moving. No song titles here, but the B side sounds pretty good 
on this cassingle. (T/MG) 


tok 

THE FUCKEDTONES, demo tape (Doug Konzen, 12543 Totem Lake Blvd. 
#111, Kirkland, WA 98034): Strange meandering jams, with guitar and synth 
and almost industrial percussion, and the occasional vocals. The Fuckedtones 
still seem to be exploring aural space, looking for a sound to latch on to. Or 
perhaps they’re creating their own, a sort of lounge music from the Twilight 
Zone. In any case, this is much more listenable than their name would 
suggest. (T/MG) 


toto tok 

FYDLSTYX, “Dew-Dah” ($8.50 from Rick Ulman, PO Box 15075, St. Louis, 
MO 63110): More wild folk music dug up from all over the place. Bob Butler 
plays fiddle and occasional fife; Rick Ulman weaves a variety of banjo, 
autoharp, concertina, and even “daff” (?) tracks around his work. They play 
traditional tunes, Irish music, revolutionary war songs, and much more. A 
music more concerned with authenticity than polish—the recording is good, 
but the instruments and whole feel are more tough-hewn. (T/MG) 


kkkik 
FLOATING CONCRETE OCTOPUS, “Polynoise” ($4 from Bangaway 
Productions, 1460 Comell Rd., Atlanta, GA 30306): FCO is the musical 
production of Miekal And & Liz Was, in an attempt to reclaim pure noise 
as an artform from the stultifying confines of music. Armed with sampler 


Audio 99 


and a Mac SE, they find and create lots of little soundbits and string them: 
together, with results from the hypnotic to the harrowing. It bly won't 
replace Mozart (or even Motorhead), but it doesn’t sound half bad. (T/MG) 


took kk 

THE GEAR, “Blim” (Chocolate Moustache Records, 3119 Stolzenfeld, 
Warren, MI 48091): Well, The Gear aren’t perfect. On some of these songs 
Bob Zabor’s vocals in particular just don’t cut it. But on others, like the 
closing “Smoking and Drinking”, they work out just fine. This is hard-edged 
fast-moving pop for the most part, though they move around the map both 
lyrically and musically. Mostly they seem to just want to have a good time 
and play fun music, and by and large they succeed. (LP/MG) 


toto 
GIFT HORSE, “Radio Kremlin” & “Son of Gravity” (409 W. 48 St. #3RE, 
New York, NY 10036): A cassingle with two poppy rocking songs on it, both 
well executed but not quite hitting the spark. The band has tried to pack 
too much in here, showing up some versatility but losing their focus. the 
two, “Radio Kremlin” is the better, and if tightened up a bit would be a 
fine single. (T/MG) 


tk kkk 
TIM GILBRIDE, “Dirt” ($5 from 2183 Professor Ave. #1, Cleveland, OH 
44113); A collection of primarily guitar solo instrumentals, with a bit of 
sampling and drum machine thrown in. Tim wanders about the musical 
landscape, sticking fairly close to the mainstream and providing a series of 
interesting explorations, building up to the title cut with its edgy siren thythms. 
Fairly easy to listen to but not insipid. (T/MG) 


took kk 

GOD BULLIES, “mama womb womb” (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 
2541 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN. 55404): A raw album with loud, 
trashy guitars and rhythms that are somewhere between the garage and the 
graveyard. The vocals are a blasphemous screed bordering on the edge of 
total breakdown. A blathering frenzy which has Art Linkletter (no friend of 
rock & roll) being drowned out by frenzied noise in “Act of Desire.” This is 
a dirty, over-the-top mess that reminded me how it felt the time I got hit 
in the head with a coal shovel. More! Give it to me! (LP/TG) 


tok kotok 
THE GODPLEASERS, “The Black Snake of Wounded Vanity” ($2 to 
Stungus, PO Box 6963, San Mateo, CA 94403): This pro s to be “aural 
pre-interpretations” of J.G. Ballard’s CRASH and Burroughs’ NAKED LUNCH. 





100 Audio 


It’s mostly experimental stuff that culls from preachers, classical music, cartoons 
has some long, rhythmic mantras. There are some neat sounds and interesting 
samples, but it got tedious after awhile. Did we read the same books? (T/TG) 


kkkkk 
THE GOMERS, “Comin’ Atchya!” ($6.50 from 607.E. Dayton St., Madison, 
WI 53703): Coll and hilarious rock with touched of punk and pop and who 
knows what else—well, for one thing they lead off with “The Jewish Rap”. 
Later on there are songs about space aliens and Zip-loc bags and having an 
antenna in your brain and of course Sgt. Carter. Funny stuff with lots of 
changes of pace and undeniably good musicianship. (T/MG) 


kkk 

RICHARD GRAHAM, “Lexicon” ($7 from 134 Louis St., New Brunswick, 
NJ 08901): “A solo poetic journey” using a variety of traditional and modem 
(mostly) percussion instruments, along with piano, bamboo flute, tape loops 
and more. Graham puts many touches of nature in his songs, and the result 
is a backwoods journey around the world, with light music following along 
and some really hypnotic jamming too. Not the highest quality, but certainly 
the highest enthusiasm. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 

GRANFALLOON, self-titled (Matt, 18 Leonard Dr., Waldwick, NJ 07463): 
The recording quality here is not the best, but there’s a sincerity shining 
through that makes that easy to overlook. Granfalloon is a four-piece that 
depends mostly on acoustic guitars, with exotic touches added by conga 
percussion and cello tracks. They go in for gentle intertwined melodies, lots 
of hooks, and an almost jazz-like lyrical sense, with words and ideas tripping 
out in a rush of emotion. (T/MG) 


kkk ik 

GREIGE TRAVAIL, “Mr. Only Has A” ($5 from Bangaway Productions, 
1460 Cornell Rd., Atlanta, GA 30306): Substantial territory covered in the 
above’s 5th release. Here meet somewhat conventional sound sources, i.e. 
guitars, keyboards, tapes, percussion, combining to form an assortment of 
not too conventional compositions: some tracks that will grunt like a befuddled 
pig clamoring for air under the mud while others imply ballads marooned 
on a smirking, mycotic island. You'll likely chuckle along with the lyrics which 
are insightful and surrealistically naive. Ninety minutes of moving sounds. 


(TM) 


tok tk 
GREGORIAN GEORGE, “Aluminum Jungle” ($6 from Violet Glass Oracle, 
6230 Lewis Ave. #105, Temperance, MI 48182): This one appears to be a 
conscious attempt to break out of the usual line of synthetic music. There 
are snippets of samples, abrupt shifts in tone and rhythm, and other tricks 
to keep the listener on their toes. It works pretty well, remaining interesting 
while only occasionally getting annoying with its lack of a groove. (T/MG) 


kK kkk 

GUTTERSNIPE, self-titled (625 Lundfair Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024): 
Bad uninspiring hardcore. No heart or emotion were put into this recording. 
With horrendous vocals (a very weak Jello Biafra imitation), average playing, 
and weak songwriting ideas and lyrics, there is nothing that makes this band 
stand out or even deserve another listen. They even play the token “fun” 
song on the tape (the “Spiderman” cartoon theme) which degrades their 
hardcore facade even further. Oh yeah, they also thank all the people who 
gave them beer. (T/LJC) 


wk 
THE HAFLER TRIO, “Ignotum Per Ignotius” ($20 CASH from Touch, 
13 Osward Road, London SW17 7SS, UK): As with other Touch productions, 
this is a classy but enigmatic package. The CD itself is six tracks of rather 
ambient material: jet engines, gentle city noises, TV through a thick wall, 
plus some tone generators and perhaps a dentist drill or two. It will give 
the range of your player a real workout. It comes packaged with a booklet 
of short stories, printed in mirror-image fashion to add to its air of unreality. 
Music through the Looking Glass? (CD/MG) 


kkk 
CLARK HAGINS, “Shark ’86” (251 Paseo de Gracia, Redondo Beach, CA 
90277): Gentle guitar rock with light-hearted lyrics. It’s sort of relaxing to 
have this on, just one guy and an instrument, after too many hours of sheer 
walls of noise. Clark has a strange sense of humor—check out “Neo Atheist 
Boogie” and “Soviet Penicillin’—and a light touch. (T/MG) 


kkk 

HANDS TO, “Chamaco” (Big Body Parts, 3031 E. Platte #2, Colorado 
Springs, CO 80909): Experimental noise which cuts like a bad memory through 
an otherwise good day. Quivering technodoom breathes in your insano-sphere 
for awhile, before creeping through the airwaves to its next poor victim. 
There’s a sense of time suspended and replaced with a bludgeoning numbness 
that grates your nerves to ribbons, leaving you ready for a few beers and a 
long talk with a loved one. (T/TG) 


kkk 
HANDS TO, untitled/MENTAL ANGUISH, “Orange is for Anguish, Blue 
for Insanity” (Big Body Parts, 3031 E. Platte #2, Colorado Springs, CO 80809): 
This has more psychotic deliverances from Hands To, starting with a staccato 
of speech and noise drilling through your skull like an acupuncture overdose, 
then turning into a pastoral nightmare. Mental Anguish is intriguing synth 
music, alternately spooky, exotic and new agey, but with one jazz-rock clunker. 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


There’s also a Readers’ Digest Spanish language record recorded for 81/2 RPM 
and a handmake sleeve. Fascinating. (LP/TG) 


kKkkk 
THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH, “The Blinding Black Light of Hate” 
(4391 Sunset Blvd. #235, Los Angeles, CA 90029): Constant, Senseless 
Reiteration (as the subtitle declares) can be very compelling. However, these 
pieces build on reiteration using an array of found sounds and a parade of 
electronic instruments to meld into a beautiful and intriguing collection. Some 
pieces sound not unlike Roger Miller's prepared piano. Highly recommended. 
(T/K}) 
kk kkk 
HARD-ONS, “Love is a Battlefield Among Wounded Hearts” ($7 from 
Taang! Records, PO Box 51, Newton, MA 02166): Furious music from 
hell—their label calls their sound, in part, “metallic garage surf and death 
punk”. It’s all that and more, a barrage of loud guitars, grotty vocals, and 
all-around mayhem. The psychedelic quasi-Satanic cover is not going to make 
them any more popular with the PMRC either. (LP/MG) 


tok 

GRANT HART, “Intolerance” (SST Records, PO Box 1, Lawndale, CA 
90260): Those Hasker Da fans who expect Hart to start off where that band 
ended are bound to be disappointed. Acoustic guitars, keyboards, tambourines, 
harmonicas...What is this? Where is the thrash? Hart play every instrument 
on the record as well as writing and producing. From the introspective tale 
of relationships in “2541” to the pain of “You're the Victim” we see what 
post-heroin addiction and HD life is life. Loses focus now and then, but on 
the whole enjoyable. Don’t condemn this for not being thrash or you'll be 
missing out on a fine LP. (LP/LJC) 


kk kkk 

HELMET OFF, “Theatre of Distraction” ($6 from HeadJam Productions, 
PO Box 1305, San Jose, CA 95109): Strange texts and intriguing noise collages 
combine in this rather experimental tape. The artists claim their aim is to 
manufacture a product that caters to distraction rather than concentration, 
and so there are multiple interwoven fast-change tracks here. Mideast-sounding 
chants, thoughts on mobile homes and status, flute, percussion and much 
more combine here. Reminds me a bit of the stuff that Backyard Mechanics 
For Language has done, but with a more musical feel. (T/MG) 


tk kkk 
HERMANOS GUZANOS, “Ducks and Covers” ($5 from Darrell Draeger, 
PO Box 1425, Bakersfield, CA 93302): A tape of cover tunes, all done in the 
cool H.G. style of swampabilly fuzzguitar crunchy rock. They take a bunch 
of standards, including “Paranoid”, “All Shook Up”, “Louie Louie” and 
“Shortnin’ Bread”, file the serial numbers off, put on a fresh coat of paint, 
and make ’em all their own. Fun stuff. (T/MG) 


kkk 

THE HERMETIC ACADEMY, “The Reality Show”(David Fideler, PO Box 
6114, Grand Rapids, MI 49516): A very polished 24 track demo tape with 
somewhat esoteric lyrics, especially on the title track. Other songs here are 
more straightforward love songs, but on everything the musical arrangements 
are lush and intricate, synthesizer and guitar landscapes to get lost in. They 
avoid bombast and needless flash, and so are not precisely in fashion, but 
I'd like to hear more of this. (T/MG) 


kkk kk 

ELVIS HITLER, “Hellbilly” (Restless Records, 11264 Playa Ct., Culver 
City, CA 90231): Once again everyone's fave cow-punks take to vinyl. This 
time out their sound is bigger, heavier and more aggressive than on 
“Disgraceland”. The swamp is slowly being shaken from their boots as they 
continue to stomp ahead full throttle into new areas of punk and speedrock. 
But there’s still (at. least this time around) enough of the backwoods spirit , 
in supply here to give even the most “Motorhead-esque” melody a little 
twang and zip. (LP/CS) 


tok ktk 

HOLY ROLLERS, “Origami Sessions” (Dischord, 3189 Beecher St., NW, 
Washington DC, 20007): This is a fresh-sounding effort from a DC trio who 
mix crunch-chord guitars, bottom of the barrel bass lines and street smart 
drums into a heavy hopefulness. Lyrically, there’s much searching, spiritual 
renewal and (No!) the Big Guy. “Eleventy” is a chunky number with an 
inspirational chorus straight out of “Tired’ of Waiting” by the Kinks. “Dahlia” 
is hard college radio rock. Music for a new Millenium! (EP/TG) 


kkk kk 
HOOPLA!, “Everybody Wants Some” ($3 from 407 W. Elm, Carbondale, 
IL 62901): Accurately self-described as “garage-junk-funk-punk”, this energetic 
outfit, without the pretense of. a preacher, takes appropriate jabs at the 
hideous robot some call Society. The music jumps along at a quick-but-smooth 
pace. Underproduction (not a detriment) indicates a homey, no frills approach 
to their sound. (T/JM) 


tek toto 
HORNY GENIUS, “Burm Your Sister” ($7 from Community 3, 438 Bedford 
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211): Clangin’, bangin’, fun-loving rock and roll out of 
Iowa City. They've got a heartlands sound, but it’s not a wimpy one; this 
is modern high-octane stuff, not the regular roots rock. Check out “Crossed 
Wires”, “Hairball”, and “Faults”, the latter with great guest vocals from Dawn 
McCarthy. (LP/MG) 


kkk kk 


ee Bly 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


JOHN HUDAK, “The Clockmaker” (PO Box 7784, Philadelphia, PA 
19101-7784): John calls what he does “sound tapes”; he experiments with 
very basic sonic imagery to see what he can do. On this tape it’s clocks, 
several of them, producing a complex, changing rhythm that can’t quite fade 
off into the background no matter how repetitive it might seem. No doubt 
many would find this too tedious for words, but I actually got interested by 
the time I was halfway through. (T/MG) 


tototokok 
HUMAN DRAMA, “Feel” (RCA Records, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, 
New York, NY 10036): Compellingly presented new wave pop with more 
than a touch of melodrama in its veins. Very reminiscent of The Simple 
Minds circa their “Breakfast Club” music—the same sense of straightforward 
passion and danceably moving melodies, but Human Drama puts more 
histrionics in their vocals. (LP/CS) 


tokk kk 
HUMIDIFIER, “Sinus” (Lubricated Records, 1086 Tulsa St., Uniondale, 
NY 11553): Pretty well done rock, with lots of guitars and disquieting 
undertones as well as some lighter bits like the cover of “Boys of Summer”. 
“Santa Claus’ Daughter” is real cool, an anti-holiday song ending “When 
you've got a father like mine/it’s hard not to hate Christmas time.” (T/MG) 


tok ok 

JACK HURWITZ, “Escaping Oblivion” ($5 from Poison Plant, 7 Woodsend 
Pl., Rockville, MD 20854): Taped directly to two-track (no by-products or 
fillers here), Hurwitz has created some electronic music that is at times relaxing 
and escaping, while at other moments haunting and eerie. No titles are given 
to the pieces as the music never really ends, but just flows, causing one to 
wonder whether these are compositions or spontaneous sounds. Nice in that 
it’s unlike anything I’ve heard before and its relaxing/haunting duality keeps 
you off balance. (T/LJC) 


tok 
J. HURWITZ, “In the Undertow/Music From Distant Days” ($6.50 from 
Poison Plant, 12407B Hickory Tree Way, Germantown, MD 20874): Catchy, 
talented synthesizer music. All the tunes are quite individual, lilting pieces, 
strong pieces, near-classical pieces, most with electronic drums filling things 
out, An interesting selection of very listenable tunes. (T/CER) 


kkk 
I AM THE HAMSTER, “Sings the Hits of the Hard Rock Era” ($3 from 
Goon Records & Tapes, PO Box 5892, Orange, CA 92613-5892): Sloppy punkoid 
rock music that starts off with a hideous rendition of “The Star-Spangled 
Banner”. Later on they demolish “Pushin’ Too Hard”, and serve up a helping 







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of original tunes which are long on madness and perhaps a bit short on 
practice and talent. For those who like their music served raw. (T/MG) 


khkkk 
IDY, “Richard Gulling” ($5.50 from The Furnace Room, 10556 Lincoln St., 
East Canton, OH 44730): Mostly electronic wanderings that varied from sparse 
to cute to downright annoying. A lot of sounds/strings of notes/repetition 
stuff, some exploration of melodies (more often extremely simple than not). 
As I segued into the second side things seemed to take more shape and 
direction, pulling together a little more decisively than side one did. (T/CS) 


kkk kk 

ILLEGITIMATE SONS OF JACKIE O, untitled (Sound Noise Music, PO 
Box 472084, Tulsa, OK 74147): The A side has this band cranking out rock 
& roll, punk and a couple of long, heavy jams that end just as they’re getting 
to be too much. It’s all really thrashy stuff. The B side has long samplings 
from Vivaldi, radio broadcasts, American propoganda songs and John Wayne, 
which is all fairly entertaining, although I’d have rather heard more of their 
own music. (T/TG) 


kkk kk 
ILLUMINATUS! self-titled ($5 from Tony Mentzer c/o Space Station, 101 
Sharon Rd., West Middlesex, PA 16159): An 8song demo of rock jamming 
that seems to owe a lot to some classic rockers; Santana stands out as one 
influence, and there's an intro that sounded strongly of “American Woman” 
in another spot. But it’s well-executed, and these guys do seem to have some 
talent. I’m just not sure they’ve found their own groove yet. (T/MG) 


kkk 

I LOVE YOU, “I Love You Live” (Medusa Records, PO Box 3628, Culver 
City, CA 90231-3628): Imagine that a band with decent licks took the last 
thirty years of music and threw them into the blender. Pour it out, put it 
on the turntable, and this is what you might get. There are bits of 60’s 
psychedelic classics inserted here, but there’s also late-80’s thrash metal and 
noise. Sounds like their stage show is downright energetic, and with a signing 
to Geffen, you'll probably hear more of them in the future yourself. (EP/MG) 


tok kkk 

INDUSTRIAL TEEPEE, self-titled (PNYM, PO Box 3854, Jersey City, NJ 
07303): Light, almost airy rhythmic songs with fluttery melodies, a pleasant 
touch and a sense of the comic in their execution. The “good time” feeling 
is overwhelming, even as the band jumps and skips within the aforementioned 
framework of their music. Now a little funky, now a little rockin’, now a 
little dancy...The band seems to really enjoy what they're doing, and that 
spreads outward through the music to the listener. (LP/CS) 


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JAILHOUSE, “Alive in a Mad World” (Restless Records, PO Box 3628, 
Culver City, CA 90231-3628): Musically, these guys are somewhere between 
Foghat (thanks to some nice slide guitar playing) and Thin Lizzie (they do 
a cover of “Jailbreak”). However, their lyrics rise above the mindless 
headbanging to include a couple of political songs, including the supercharged 
anti-racist song “Land of Today”. A welcome antidote to some of the socially 
unaware hard rock bands out there. This is a live recording, with a few 
rough spots but plenty of energy. (T/MG) 


kk kik 
JAJ ENTREPRISE, “87-89” (40f from Roemer Jerome, 38 Bid de Lyon, 
67000 Strasbourg, FRANCE): Cool European techno-pop that gets in some sax 
and harmonica work as well as the usual guitar and synthesizer. Josie Maurel’s 
lead vocals are very strong and forthright, and her range helps pull the 
listener along through the shifting audio landscapes. Swirling multi-layered 
music that sounds good even with the language barrier. (T/MG) 


tok tk 
JANDEK, “The Living End” ($6 from Corwood Industries, PO Box 15375, 
Houston, TX 77220): Artsy, beatnik music with a little psychedelia to it. Songs 
seem a little meandering vocally—a little like free-spirited, off-beat late 60’s 
early 70's music poets, The melodies are simply structured, basic instrumentals, 
but they still manage to convey a certain impression and mood. (LP/CS) 


ttt 
THE JAYHAWKS, “Blue Earth” (Twin\Tone Records, 2541 Nicollet Ave. 
S., Minneapolis, MN 55404): Real sincere country-rock that’s an easy sort of 
thing to listen to. That doesn’t mean that it’s pap, just that Mark Olson’s 
vocals and Gary Louris’ lead guitar blend seamlessly with the rest of the 
stuff here to put the country spirit out over a slow rock beat. “Sioux City”, 
an archetypical song of love lost, is one of the best on the album. (LP/MG) 


tok kkk 

JERRY'S KIDS, “Kill Kill Kill” ($7 from Taang! Records, PO Box 51, 
Newtown, MA 02166): Jerry’s Kids came out of the Boston hardcore scene 
in the early 80’s, about the same time that Gang Green did. But while the 
latter band seems to have become a walking beer commercial, the Kids have 
remained pretty faithful to the original hardcore sound, churning out a 
challenging, sometimes murky, assaultive blend of guitars and crunchy vocals. 
This is hardcore, not metal, and it seems to intend to stay that way forever, 
burning out parents and amplifiers alike. (LP/MG) 


kkkkk 

JUNK MONKEYS, “Soul Cakes” (No Wonder/Metal Blade, 18653 Ventura 
Blvd. #311, Tarzana, CA 91356): The Junk Monkeys are the type of band 
that is going to get lost in the shuffle between rock and metal which is too 
bad. I like this LP which comes from the world of power pop with a hint 
of punk image. The Junk Monkeys perform tunes that make the bass/drums 
the focus of their attack, coming the way of the Reducers or the 
Neighborhoods. No Wonder Records may make the mistake of ramming this 
down the throats of a metal crowd but it would do better with the ranks of 
those college radio stations who dig power pop. (T/KB) 


tke kkk 
KAK MAMA, “Nazi Dwarfs Must Live” ($2 from Matt Cornell, Stungus, 
PO Box 6963, San Mateo, CA 94403): Sloppy feedback-heavy rock-industrial 
hybrid music that starts off abrasive and degrades from there. The lyrics—when 
they can be made out—tend towards the lurid and unprintable. “Santa Raped 
My Grandma” is the outstanding point of the tape, an extended screaming 
and screeching noisefest. (T/MG) 


kkkik 

KATHY KING, “Low Tech Nuclear Waste” ($4.85 from 636 Louise Dr., 
Ann Arbor, MI 48103): “The main objective of the recording is to make viable 
music with the lowest of the lowest in technology and semi-minimal playing 
abilities.” Perhaps for that reason—no lofty aspirations or pretensions here—it 
works so well. The songs are simply arranged, written in a fundamentally 
straightforward and simple manner, and yet they are charming and 
entertaining. Alternating between instruments and electronics, the music 
reminded me, many a time, ‘of the medieval mode of plucking strings to 
create music without heavy use of chords, or, also, the style we've come to 
call “New Age”. (T/CS) 

kkk kk ; 

KRONIN, “The First Assault” (989 Cloud Ave., Franklin Square, NY 
11010): Tight and lean rock with metallic licks but not an all-out guitar 
madness display. Kronin seems to concentrate on songwriting and polish, so 
while there’s not a lot on this tape (3 songs) it is consistent and enjoyable. 
Energetic stuff. (T/MG) 


kkk 
LAB RAT, “Voiceprint” ($4 from Apraxia Records, PO Box 9545, Colorado 
Springs, CO 80932): Eek! Is my fuckin’ tape deck fucked up? Think of being 
stuck in a large wind tunnel with howling wherewolves and screaming vultures 
while an amoeba on a Harley Davidson does 360’s on your head. These folks 
have got some pretty noisy living rooms, that’s for sure. (T/TG) 


tok tk 
LEGEND KILLERS, “Better. Than Hammerin’ ($4 from What Wave, 17 
Erie Ave., London, ONT, N6J 1H9, CANADA): First release from the folks 
who do WHAT WAVE zine, and it’;s a good one. Legend Killers are a 
traditional rock 4-piece who pound out tunes in a hard 60's style with a 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


garage presence. ””Why Must I” is the hot song here; their cover of “Rock 
and Roll” is flawed by lackluster vocals but otherwise good. (EP/MG) 


kkkkk 
LE LU\LU’S, “A Gleam in the Designer's Eye” ($6 from Hypertonia World 
Enterprises, Jan R. Bruun, PO Box 4307, N-5008 Bergen, NORWAY): 
Sharp-edged European techno/synth-pop. What holds it all together as more 
than just gleaming wallpaper is the female vocals (maybe by Yo-Yo, though 
the jacket isn’t clear). In any case, this is a nice blend of computers and 
humans, voice over crystal notes over the dance floor. (T. /MG) 


took tok 

KEITH LEVENE, “Violent Opposition” ($7 from Taang! Records, PO Box 
51, Newton, MA 02166): Fueled by Keith’s primo guitar playing and a 
playfulness that translates into a mix of genres (from reggae to rock to metal), 
this one is a winner. Keith covers old favorites like “Cold Turkey” and :If 
Six Was 9”, blasts out some extended jams of his own on “2011”, and 
generally tears up the vinyl. PIL lost a bet when Keith left; in a couple of 
years, his will be the name that gets remembered. (LP/MG) 


kkk tok 
LOVE LIKE BLOOD, “Sinister Dawn” (Deathwish Office, Ulrichstrasse 
14, 7340 Geislingen/Steige, WEST GERMANY): Somewhat eerie, downbeat, 
gothic rock. There’s a mournful sound here, made more occult-sounding by 
the slightly imperfect English of the lyrics. Their lyrics combine a fascination 
for death with an awareness of social issues—activism for the all black clothes 
crowd. (EP/MG) 


tek ktok 
LOVERS AND OTHER MONSTERS, “In My Mood Balcony” ($5 from 20 
Hemenway St. #32, Boston, MA 02115): It starts with a solidly fundamental 
sense of rock and roll, and then polishes it up with effects to give it a 
dramatic, slightly haunting (new wave gothic) appeal. It’s a combination that 
works well: the rock gives the songs drive and energy, while the effects 
create mood and texture. (T/CS) 


tok kk 

LUNCHTIME FOR MICROBES, “The Laws of Entropy” (Covert Music, 
PO Box 5868, Toledo, OH 43613): LFM is Ken Knab’s private synth project 
(with a bit of help from James Overly on one track). There’s a manic intensity 
to his works, a sort of adrenalin-pumping uncertainty that was very evident 
on “Skies of Smog” and “Escape From Nowhere” Neither easy-listening New 
Age sludge nor unlistenable experimentalism, but somewhere in the 
rock-coated center of the field. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 

GAVIN LURSSEN, self-titled (150 Massachusetts Ave. #46, Boston, MA 
02115): Gavin is an advanced student at Berklee College of Music. He utilizes 
a customized pick-up system, electronic effects and alternate tunings to 
produce a fairly standard sounding solo acoustic guitar release. Lurssen names 
his influences as Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, Al DiMeola and the group 
Yes (most obvious on “Ricochet”, where the opening lick from Yes’s 
“Roundabout” is blatantly lifted). Mostly enjoyable and pleasant, the release 
could use less regimentation and more experimentation. (T/KJ) 


kkk kk 

THE MAGNOLIAS, “Dime Store Dream” (Twin\Tone Records, 2541 
Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55404): Take two parts pop, add one part 
grunge and a sprinkling of punkish lyrics, and you have the Magnolias. 
Though they don’t bother with being politically correct, they have the 
bred-in-Minnesota strength and power of many better-known bands who've 
passed through the Twin\Tone label. A great record to just kick back and 
groove on. (LP/MG) 


KKK 
MALBERRIES, self-titled (Malok, PO Box 41, Waukau, WI '54980): The 
title here is a portmanteau word; this is a collaboration between Malok and 
another giant of the experimental underground, Jake Berry. The result is an 
occasionally rambling collection of noises and music, including freshly 
generated stuff and lots of found snippets. Like tuning in to the nation’s 
subconscious. (T/MG) 


kkk - 

MALLIFE #18 ($6 from Bomb Shelter Propaganda, PO Box 17686, Phoenix, 
AZ 85011): A collection of experimental audio works, some noise-based, some 
word-based. The latter include Rupert Wondolewski’s “Hell”, Al Perry’s “May 
I Speak to the Manager?” and the John Bennett/Byron Smith collaboration 
“Pico Mojado”. There’s also work from Floating Concrete Octopus, Chemical 
Toybox, and Mike Miskowski which sets my head to throbbing. An excellent 
selection from the best of the current undergrounders. (T/MG) 


tk kkk 
MAN AND HAMMER, “Recording #10 + 1” ($4 from David Joo, PO Box 
33, Stirling City, CA 95978): Crunchy industrial dance synthetic music. It 
starts off fairly easy, then builds to a crescendo of noise and sampling as 
the tape continues. The last number, “Humans”, is almost melodic, if you 
can get past the darkly sampled voice. (T/MG) 
tok tok k 
MANUAL SCAN, “The Lost Sessions” (Get Hip Records, PO Box 666, 
Canonsburg, PA 15317): Seriously groovin’ guitar meets garage underground 
rock 'n’ roll meets drivin’ dirge ditties in a beach blanket explosion of bingo 
pop n’ rock. More fun than searching for the prize in a cereal box; lasts 
longer too. (45/CS) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Audio 103 


tok tkotok 
CHET McCRACKEN, “Flight to Moscow” (Voss Records, Union Bank 
Tower, 300 Esplanade Dr. #760, Oxnard, CA 93030): McCracken’s main claim 
to fame is as drummer for the Doobie Brothers, but on this release he leads 
his own collection of musicians in modem electronic funky jazz instrumentals. 
He plays drums, vibes and keyboards, while the others chime in on guitars, 


Chapman stick, and “electric MIDI mallet” (whatever that is). The music is. 


relaxing and flowing if a bit insipid, and flawlessly produced. (CD/MG) 


kkkkk 

MDC, “Metal Devil Cokes” ($7 from Boner Records, PO Box 2081, Berkeley, 
CA 94702-0081): This is the first Boner release I can remember without a 
promo poster. They probably figured it was strong enough to do without the 
hype. They're right. MDC can still play killer hardcore, and they do on a 
bunch of these cuts. They also wander afield to rollicking Irish and C&W 
parodies. But the best part is their lyrics. From “I Was a Dupe For the RCP” 
to “I'm A Knucklehead” to “Dirty Harry For President” to “Tofu Spaghetti”, 
they sensibly and outrageously explore a bunch of leftist themes. I’m sold 
on their talent, and so are a lot of other folks. (LP/MG) 


totok tok 
MELVINS, “Ozma” ($7 from Boner Records, PO Box 2081, Berkeley, CA 
94702-0081): Heavy sludgey stuff sounding something like Queen on 
prescription tranquilizers. The title (an L. Frank Baum reference, not an Aussie 
one) seems designed to give a falsely light impression of what you'll find 
inside. But this is about as far from Carpenters-type sweetness and light as 
you can get, all pounding sounds and deep bass and ugly vocals. (LP/MG) 


kek kkk 
MELVINS, “Your Blessend” & “Pronoun Piece Me”($3 from Slap a Ham 
Records, PO Box 843, San Francisco, CA 94101): Yeah, this is the same band 
as the above, only this time on a 1000-copy clear plastic flexidisc. The sound 
quality is pretty good (besides, with this stuff, does it matter?) and they still 
pack a punch. The first of these songs was recorded live at Gilman, and 
both are the epitome of sludge rock. (FL/MG) 


khkkk 
TONY MENTZER, “The King’s Bicycle” ($4 from 101 Sharon Rd., West 
Middlesex, PA 16159): A mix of poppy, semi-commercial tunes from Tony. 
The tape starts off in an experimental mode with the confusing audio collage 
“I need a Pill”, then settles down into some funky rock. Later on there’s the 
folky “Away!” (which reminded me of “Blowin’ In The Wind”) and the whole 
ends with the bouncy “Big Old Betty”. Nice and friendly synthetic stuff. 
(T/MG) 
kkk 
TONY MENTZER, “Varicose Brains” ($5 from The Space Station, 101 
Sharon Rd., West Middlesex, PA 16159): Mindtwisting and sometimes 
psychedelic, illuminated pieces ranging from folksy little ditties to way-out 
and very scary experimental monologues & noise creations. Perfect for drifting 
away to, produces crazy dreams if you happen to slip into slumber. A 
must-have for the astral traveler. We know what's good for you. (T/CER) 


tok kkk ‘ 

DOUG MICHAEL AND THE OUTER DARKNESS, self-titled (Audiofile 
Tapes, 209-25 18 Ave., Bayside, NY 11360): A guitar/bass/drums trio composed 
of marginal performers. Their compositions plod and seem to hesitate at times 
as members attempt to get into synch with each other. Various explorations 
into free improvisation produce orgies of self-expression, but no cohesive 
musical statement. (T/KJ) 


toktotek 
MIND OVER FOUR, “The Goddess” (Massive Sound Recordings, PO Box 
86878, Los Angeles, CA 90086): Majestic rock that walks the fine line between 
metal boredom and simple bombast, mostly successfully. This is music in the 
operatic tradition, with extended songs, passionate lyrics, and well-developed 
harmonizing between the various instruments. Pretty nifty. (T/MG) 


tokokiok 
MODERN ART, “Full Tilt At The Chocolate Factory” ($5.50 from 
Hypertonia World Enterprises, Jan Bruun, Box 4307, N-5008 Bergen, 
NORWAY): Sometimes gay, sometimes eerie, sometimes downright gothic 
psychedelia. Modern Art is basically Gary Ramon, except that he gets a bit 
of vocal help from time to time. This is a dreamy release, with the recording 
quality not quite the best, but still it sounds right for the material. (T/MG) 


tk kk 
THE LARRY MONDELLO BAND, “Greatest Hits” (Defoe, PO Box 451, 
Collinsville, CT 06022): That may be “hits” in the sense of assaulting people 
rather than int he sense very popular songs. This is agressive, 
improv-sounding rock that incorporates a good deal of screaming and doing 
damage to the melody. You know how some bands smash their instruments 
after the climactic song? Well, LMB is like that, but without the song. (T/MG) 


tok kkk 

MOVING MANTELPIECE, “Mythic Moments” ($5 from Kyle Murray, 
Moving Mantelpiece Productions, 3307 Hampton, Austin, TX 78705): Electronic 
music with classical overtones in the gentle melodic way it’s presented. The 
notes fall one after another, each one leaning into the next, creating a musical 
domino effect. I waver between thinking of this as subtle background music 
or as soundtrack music (which tends to command a bit more attention). It’s 
minimalistic in its use of spare patterns which are repeated throughout a 
song, yet the lyrics are more on the order of oral interpretive art than “song” 


lyrics as we expect them and the overall feel is richer than that of most 


minimalistic music. (T/CS) 


kkkkk 

MOVING TARGETS, “Brave Noise” (Taang!, PO Box 51, Auburndale, 
MA 02166): You can’t help but like this. It picks you up and swee you 
along with a tidal wave of grungey, wailing, clanging guitars; insistent rhythms 
and soaring, scratchy, upbeat vocals. It’s all executed with total authority—this 
is a band that knows what they’re doing. Interestingly enough they reminded 
me a little of Mission of Burma. Beyond the geographical and label ties, it 
was in the unafraid way the band lets the melody speak for itself, the creative 
use of control versus “garage wildness” and the different twists and turns 
of the tunes. (T/CS) 


tokokiok 
MUDHONEY, self-titled (Sub Pop, PO Box 20645, Seattle, WA 98102): 
Jammin’ blues that knocks gods off their pedestals with a “heavier than thou” 
sound and a and grimy outlook. Mudhoney are big and fuzzy, like a 
mutant lintball in your belly button that comes to dominate your daily activities 
(and your turntable). Quite simply, this record kicks ass, even if it does 
sound a little . . . dated. (LP/TC) 


tok iok 

MUDHONEY, self-titled (Sub Pop Records, PO Box 20645, Seattle, WA 
98102): Mud, dirt, or grunge. Whatever you want to call it, this band doesn’t 
just wade in up to their knees, they jump in all the way and roll around 
for a while. Grungelike guitars turned up all the way will recalls the power 
of the Stooges, but Mark Arm is no Iggy Pop, and the band have an energy 
and sound that is all their own. Yet another great band from an underrated 
but thriving Seattle scene. Don’t miss out. (T/LJC) 


kkkkk 

NARAM SIN, “Daisies” (Small Tools Tradition, PO Box 8005, Suite 239, 
Boulder, CO 80306-8005): The stark black and white cover of this album hints 
at what's inside: a sort of cross between industrial and hard rock. There’s a 
lot of noise here, pounding, growling, that sometimes overwhelms the song. 
But there are also high-energy jams which are definitely in the rock arena. 
Musical chameleons, Naram Sin manage to do a lot to the ears. Good for 
late nights and hard times. (LP/MG) 


kkkkk 
NO MAN/NO MAN’S BAND, “Damage the Enemy” ($7.50 from New 
Alliance Records, PO Box 1389, Lawndale, CA 90260): No Man is Roger 
Miller; the band adds Russ Smith on Bass and Ken Winokur on percussion 
(on the solo pieces Roger uses sampled industrial noise as a percussion track, 
but it’s hard to tell). There are flashes of interest in these instrumentals, but 
mostly it just sounds like Miller is trying to figure out what to record next. 
There’s a lack of polish and direction in this release that makes it more of 
an intriguing curiosity and hint at future directions than anything else. (LP/MG) 

kk kkk 
NOMEANSNO, “Wrong” (Alternative Tentacles, PO Box 11458, San 
Francisco, CA 94101): This is one of those “what is it” records that when 
stripped of its hardcore veneer reveals a mountain of influence. This has 
elements of jazz, rock, funk, punk and gospel working together in near-perfect 
synch. Tight-as- a-drum riffs open into inspirational vocal sections and then 
go back again into the the’ signature staccato rhythm. Lyrically, it’s pretty 
direct, with lies, unhappiness and breakdowns occupying a good amount of 
space. This one goes into the “listen to over and over again” pile. (LP/TG) 


tk kkk 

M. NOMIZED, “In Search of Shade” ($5.50 from Jan Bruun, Hypertonia 
World Enterprises, PO Box 4307, N-5008 Bergen, NORWAY): Ambient 
synthesizer music and electronic noise pieces from France. Relaxing and pretty 
in places, cacophonous and unsettling in others. Some intriguing and offbeat 
titles translate literally into “Controlled Speed”, “All the Doors” and “Dance 
of the Grass Blades.” The English blurb reads “This tape is the result of 
several woks, different styles, sounds or musics...bye!” A lovely and ethereal 
electronic tape. (T/DW) 


INDEPENDENT 
MUSIC GUIDE 


“A Publication of the Independent Music Network” 


Over 100 Member Artists [é «2 


The Independent Music Network is 
dedicated to the promotion of all s of 
independent music. For a FREE catalog and 

membership application write to: 


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P.O. Box 3516 * Carbondale , IL * 62902 
























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104 Audio 


tke kok 

ROBT OMLIT, “There is nothing wrong with me that a thick gob of 
Grease on the end of your dick wouldn’t cure” (PO Box 127, Anaheim, CA 
92185-0127): Detestable. With the title of the tape, and such songs as “Peter's 
Peter”, “Dick’s Dick”, “Sodomy”, “Hoover” (c'mon, use your imagination), 
“Dance in My Mouth” and * Set”, it’s not hard to discern the subject 
matter. Omlit uses these songs, however, as vehicles for his homophobic 
fears. The lyrics and high pitched whiny vocals all move towards the goal 
of ridiculing male homosexuality, equating it with two queens going at it. I 
have never heard so much hatred expressed all at once and at 26 songs, he 
seems to have himself worked up. One can only wonder if this were 
a class project for the KKK. Disturbing. (TALJC) 


tek kkk 

ORANGE ROUGHIES, “Knuckle Sandwich” (Nocturnal Records, PO Box 
19550, Detroit, MI 48219): Despite the title and the locale, this one mellows 
its Motor City rock power with a hefty dose of milder, U2/REM-ish flavor. 
The result is an intriguing mix, silk over steel, well-produced and worth 
hearing. I really liked the not-quite-cynical “Pure And Simple” look at today’s 
youth and the almost-angry, almost-resigned “I Hear” with its foreboding of 
a worse future. (LP/MG) 


kk kkk 
OUR AMERICAN COUSINS, “Nitro Baby” b/w “Only In My Head” (Chop 
Suey Records, 1186 Broadway #611, New York, NY 10001): The first record 
from these folks, and probably not the last. They play a dark underground 
sound that’s layered into a thicket of sludgey guitars and dense drumming. 
The A side is really heavy; the flip is more relaxed, a lighter end to the 
record, but only by comparison. (45/MG) 


tok kk 
PARADOX, “A Whole New Groove” ($6 from Carl Howard - aT, 209-25 
18 Ave., Bayside, NY 11360): Studio space rock with all sorts of wild noises 
and a groove that just won’t quit. At times they move towards the sound 
of improv jazz, at times they get a little experimental with found sounds 
and vocal overlays. But mostly this is just swooping punching fast-paced 
noises that never let up. (T/MG) 


kKkkkk 

PBK, “A Noise Supreme” (115 W. 33rd, San Bernardino, CA 92405): The 
Coltrane influence in the title is obvious, the influence on the music is more 
subtle. The release is composed of analog synthesis and digital synthesis 
sides. The analog side begins with soft, subdued tones and progresses to a 
pleasant noise crescendo punctuated by a staccato distortion loop. The digital 
side evokes more of the spirit of Coltrane with its evocative noise melodies 
integrated with a slight digital keyboard feel. A fitting tribute that is highly 
recommended. (T/KJ) . 


tot 

PEACE AND FREEDOM, “Animal Music” (Paul Rance, 17 Farrow Road, 
Whaplode Drive, Spalding, S. Lincs., PE12 OTS, UK): A band of several 
lities. The tape starts off really strong with the first two tracks (“Nature” 
and “30th Century”) reminding me vaguely of The Arms of Someone New, 
with electronics, mellow guitar, and distant and cold vocals. Other tracks 
however start out of the blue, end abruptly, meander off into chaos or fall 
out of tune. Some stuff here if you're willing to sort through some 

painful material as well. (TILJC) 


kkkkk 

THE JOHN PERETTA PROJECT, self-titled (7325 Ist Ave. #1, Montreal, 
PQ, H2A 3J5, CANADA): Poppish music that’s about the closest thing to 
bubble-gum that I’ve heard lately. This doesn’t mean that it’s entirely 
dismissable, but Peretta’s mix of guitar, keyboards and slightly jazzy 
arrangements lacks some of the punch that rockers may be accustomed to. 
“Secrets on Your Pillow” shines out as the best track here, with an appealing 
verve. (T/MG) 


totototok 

PIECE OF WOOD, “Square Peg In a Round Hole” ($15 Algonquin Rd., 
Holmdel, NJ 07733): There’s no special reason for this to be on CD—it’s only 
a half hour long and the quality, while decent, is not pin-dropping spectacular. 
I guess vinyl really is dying. However, don’t let that prejudice you against 
the band; there are some cool songs here, especially if dropping too much 
acid and getting paranoid makes you happy. Their own “Mr. Evans” and 
“That Dream” set the mood, all anxiety and guitars; their driving cover of 
“Horse With No Name” seals the listener’s fate. (CD/MG) 


kkk kk 
PINK SLIP DADDY, “LSD” (Apex/Skyclad, 6 Valley Brook Dr., Middlesex, 
NJ 08846): This one lies somewhere between “novelty” and “collector's item”. 
It’s a 10-inch record on thick pink vinyl. The A side is mastered to play 
backwards, from the inside out, and plays at 45 RPM. The 33 RPM B side 
has two parallel groves (similar to a Monty Python record I recall). The music? 
Oh, yeah. It’s sort of roots rock, tinged with rockabilly, and with all three 
songs having a psychedelic message. (EP/MG) 
tk kik 
MARC PLAINGUET, “Surrealism for Beginners” ($6 from PO Box 1260, 
Youngstown, OH 44501): Instrumentals skipping through a maelstrom of 
emotions and impressions. Reminiscent of work like that by Kitaro and Phillip 
Glass, but more earthy, scratchy...mischievous. As though the “Silk Road” 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


had taken a wrong turn at Pismo Beach and wound up in a mind-game 
landscape where anything can happen. (T/CS) 


toto tok 
PLASTIC EYE MIRACLE, “Ed Wood's Living Room” (75CENTS from 
Doug Wofsey, 2866 Kipling NW, Massillon, OH 44646): Crazy cut-up music 
and found sounds with industrial dance rhythms behind it. PEM is Doug 
and Michael Gonzalez, bopping around through soundspace and trying out 
new ideas. Some of the things they do to cultural icons—tike pro wrestling 
and anti-drug commericals—are amazing. (T/MG) 


tok 

PLATE, “We're Name Is Plate” ($6 from 112 S. Pine St., Richmond, VA 
23220): A hearty slab of rock blessed with a goodly amount of punk DNA. 
Though don’t look for any rigid formulas here as these folks display a pretty 
well rounded musical vocabulary. Challenging musicianship and intelligently 
humorous render cuts both playful and memorable; while trippy riffwork 
nicely styles this well-produced, high quality recording. Bonus points for the 
cover art. (T/JM) 


kk kkk 

POISON IDEA, “Just to Get Away” b/w “Kick Out The Jams” ($6 from 
PO Box 86333, Portland, OR 97286-0333): A two-sided picture disc featuring 
this hardcore band in all its tacky glory. Not many hardcore bands could get 
away with covering MCS, but they do it with style, and these two songs are 
a blast of energy, choppy lyrics, and punk energy. Portland seems to be 
producing a lot of loud grungey worthwhile bands lately, which I certainly 
appreciate. Your mother won’t like it at all. (45/MG) 


PORKOPOLIS 


tok totk 

Various Artists, “Volume 1: 1989 Porkopolis Cassette Compilations” ($3 
each, $12 for set of five tapes from Porkopolis, PO Box 3529, Cinti, OH 
45201): 


tok tok 
PKO0001, “Gloria” Mostly stuff from the rockabilly-garage-surf- punk 
school, with the Hellcats, Snare & the Idiots, Hates, and Jaywalker all 
checking in. There’s a couple from Porkopolis faves Peppermint Subway 
plus Dunter Bogan, Bluck and more. This one has fairly consistent rock 
roots throughout, with individual diversions keeping it interesting. (T/TG) 


tokk tok 
PK0002, “Peas and Carrots” This is a mixed bag with early ‘80s style 
arty disco from Neil Smith, speed pop from Zen Bovine, a few “punk” 
songs from Poland’s Zima (sounds more like primitive new wave to me), 
Peppermint Subway, Love Calvin, and more. The overall effect is so-so. 
(T/TG) 


totototok 
PK0003, “Hodgepodge Misery” This has tight speed metal from Black 
Ritual, layered elevator music from Colorslam, Crunchy power-pop from 
Peppermint Subway and Chia Pet Complex, who have an early punk sound 
with some metal guitar solos. A bunch more stuff, too. (T/TG) 


ttttok 
PK0004, “Open Thy Mind” There’s some mind-opening stuff here from 
the synth samples of Shawn Swaggerty, free form jazz noise of Tom Furgas, 
555 sounding a little like Daniel Johnstone and D’Zoid with gloomy 
experimental noise. Plus more from college radio sounds from Peppermint 
Subway and Anthrax-esque metal from Black Ritual. The Real Americans 
check in as well. (T/TG) 


tok kok 
PK0005, “Here’s Looking At You” This has spooky psycho-trash from 
the Real Americans, some generic college rock from Love Calvin, screaming 
crossover from triate, smarmy art rock from Neil Smith. | liked 
Crash-N-Burn, who funk up the joint pretty good, 24-7 Spyz style. Plus 
there’s synth noise from The Black Flowers and more. (T/TG) 





kk tkkk 
PORN ORCHARD, “Heart and Brain Raw” (PO Box 189, Athens, GA 
30603); Raw and gnarly rock designed to make an impact. If these three guys 
thought you weren't listening they'd probably wallop you over the head with 
their instruments instead. Plenty of angst, lyrics that don’t seem to make 
sense, tortuous dissonance and an overall very dark sound make up the 
ambience that is Porn Orchard. (LP/MG) 


tokotokk 
POSTER CHILDREN, “Flower Power” (Limited Potential Records, PO Box 
268586, Chicago, IL 60626): Raw and powerful pop with all the illusions 
sloughed off. This batch is capable of sweet and pretty, but often they forgo 
that to get into still sweet but more exciting. I especially liked “Hollywood”, 
a nice rocking tune. We'll be hearing these folks on the radio, I’m sure. 
(LP/MG) t 


kkk kk 
PREMATURE EJACULATION, “Death Cultures III” (The Happiest Place 
On Earth, 4391 Sunset Blvd. #235, Los Angeles, CA 90029): Intense industrial 
music, combining tortured guitar, edge madness synths, percussion. and 
found sounds. The texture of the music/noise changes constantly, sometimes 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


settling down to a primitive chanting, others flying to the most modern 
computeristic arena. They seem completely unconcerned with making a good 
impression; the only goal is to make a strong one. (T/MG) 


kakkkk 
THE PRIMITIVES, “Pure” (RCA Records, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, 
New York, NY 10036): Well-done mass-market pop imported from England. 
While they do have some harder riffs hiding in here, this is primarily a 
vehicle to display Tracy Tracy’[s sweet voice in front of a backdrop of fuzzy 
neo-psychedelia. Nothing deep here, but there are times when you really 
don’t want anything deep. (LP/MG) 


tk kkk 

BILL PRITCHARD, “Three Months, Three Weeks & Two Days” 
(Nettwerk/IRS Records, 3939 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood, CA 91604): 
On the surface it seems to be a misty, lush almost ambient musical work. 
But delve deeper and there’s more—a dance music with wittily sophisticated 
European overtones, an introspective approach with bittersweet humor, 
carefully crafted harmonies, and a sensuously gentle air which dissolves the 
edges of even the harder rock numbers. Be sure not to miss the lyrics; they 
provide the backbone to much of the softness here. (T/CS) 


tototokk 
PSYCHONAUTS, “Visions of Life After Death” (Laughing Moon Records, 
2211 Hannon St., Hyattsville, MD 20783): Tense, edgy pop-rock with great 
lyrics and lots of bouyant energy. “City of Brotherly Love” goes after those 
who've made competition the American Dream, while “Debbie Meets the 
Shaman” is an odd romp through mythival actions. The album cover opens 
up into a lyric sheet and then a full-size b&w psychedelic poster. (LP/MG) 


totoktok 
PUBLIC HUMILIATION, “It All Started When I Was Five” ($6 from Paul 
Shuirman, PO Box 5892, Orange, CA 92613-5892): Sixteen songs of spunky 
rock with humorous lyrics. Among the earthshaking questions considered here 
are the wonders of ham radio, pepperoni pizza, and “The Toilet Seat Is 
Always Wet”. “She’s Normal” is a love song that for once doesn’t rise to 
frenzied heights of exsaggeration. (LP/MG) 


kk kkk 

RATOS DE PORAO, “Brasil” (Roadracer Records, 225 Lafayette St. 
#709, New York, NY 10012): Their name translates as “Basement Rats”, and 
these Brazilian dudes play punk/thrash/metal crossover like it never went out 
of style. Their songs are in the traditional mode as well: “Drink Til You Die”, 
“Suicidal Heroin” and “Bloody Pigs” are three of their titles. Fast-paced with 
grinding vocals from tattooed pot-bellied Gordo, this will bring back memories 
of those halcyon punk days. (LP/MG) 


kkkkk 

R.C., “Brown Cow” ($5 from Airburst Productions, PO Box 993, 
Chambersburg, PA 17201): Well, thrash isn’t dead yet; these guys cram 14 
songs on to one 7” record. They say “Warning: This will seriously damage 
your mind!”, and if the music doesn’t do it, the lyrics will. They're set up 
to offend most anyone, notably feminists, those opposed to the public use 
of swear words, and liberals of all stripes. I suspect the racism, sexism and 
homophobia in these lyrics is meant in joke, but that doesn’t make it much 
easier to bear. On the other hand, they also throw in a couple of strong 
anti-nuke and anti-war songs. (EP/MG) 


kkk kk 
RED HERRING, “Stiffy” (Elixir Records, 1023 Spruce St. #5, Philadelphia, 
PA 19107): Self-produced rock, fairly fast, with some psychedelic touches. 
The main intent here seems to be to have a good time, and they accomplish 
that, blowing 13 songs by in a whirlwind of guitar solos, harmonies, and 
screwball lyrics. Check out “Surrealistic Futon” and “Guilt Cleanse”. (LP/MG) 


kk kkk 
KARL REHN, “electrophonic” ($4 from 3001 Stardust Dr., Austin, TX 
78757): Pretty offensive all-electronic one-man “instrumental jazz project” 
{courtesy of MacIntosh and MIDI) that sounds like the kind of library 
soundtrack music used on network TV: very slick, very polished, and utterly 
devoid of originality. Even Rehn’s interpolation of “Round Midnight” and 
“Body and Soul” (ostensibly a decent idea) is lackluster. All talent and no 
imagination. (T/KS) 
totokotok 
THE RESIDENTS, “The King And I” (Enigma Records, PO Box 3628, 
Culver City, CA 90231-3628): More madness from the mysterious Residents. 
On this one, the lead vocals are from an a g, boozed-up, broken-down 
Elvis impersonator, covering 16 of the King’s gold records in idiosyncratic 
fashion. Spliced in are ruminations on “the baby king”, exploring the place 
of Elvis in the American mythos. Well off the beaten path, and alternately 
aggravating and delightful. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 
REVELATION, “Final Daze” ($5 from Revelation Enterprizes, PO Box 
9303, Washington, DC 20005): Fairly undistinguished sort of hard rock/dance 
music that may have a message buried in it. The B side, all one cut called 
“Victims of Mlusion” does rise to a few interesting experimental sampling 
moments. But mostly this cassette EP just doesn’t take hold. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 
DAVID THOMAS ROBERTS, “New Orleans Streets” (B&W Sound 
Recording Co., Lockbox 97, Jackson Heights, NY 11372): A “Suite for Piano” 
divided into 15 sections, mostly named after streets in New Orleans. Not 


Audio : 105 


having the slightest familiarity with the city, I have no idea how well Roberts 
captures its spirit. But this is pleasant and relaxing music, sort of slow ragtime 
in places, upbeat waltz in others. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 
ROBINSON, “To Be Free” and “Awake Now” (PO Box 472, Lenox Hill 
Stn., New York, NY 10021): This one arrived with a poster indicating that 
it’s excerpts from a new CBS album by this bunch—and that’s it. They do 
decent enough rock, in a U2-ish mode, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole 
lot to recommend their anthems over anyone else’s. And releasing a two-song 
full-size CD seems downright weird. (CD/MG) 


totototok 

ROOTS RADICS, “Hot We Hot Dub” (ROIR, 611 Broadway #411, New 
York, NY 10012): Technically awesome nearly pure-instrumental dub (with 
vocals on only two tracks, including “Joy to the World Dub”, easily one of 
the best Christmas songs I’ve heard this holiday season). Dub is sorta like 
distilled reggae, with lots of overdubs and studio wizardry. Here it’s used to 
make a full sound, with lots of brass and plenty of bass, even fuller. Cool 
music for any time. (T/MG) 


kk kkk 
DONALD RUBINSTEIN, “The Witness” (Route 2 Box 285, Santa Fe, NM 
87505): Sort of laid-back Christian Contemporary Music. The A side here is 
made up of 5 relaxed songs, sort of light rock, with messages of witness and 
faith. flip is all isntrumentals, some in a classical mode, some bouncier 
and more modern. Very polished and relaxed. (T/MG) 


kkk 

THE RUDY SCHWARTZ PROJECT, “Salmon Dave” (joe Newman, 5404 
Ave. F, Austin, TX 78751-1311): More one-man madness from Joe. He does 
covers of some classic cartoon songs, a great doo-wop version of “Ev 
Breath You Take”, and lots of songs about current events. The latter include 
“Jimmy Swaggart” and “I’m No Prude, But Some Things Should Just Be 
Banned”, attacking the PMRC. It’s all put together with wacky music from 
hard rock to Spike Jones. Joe says this is his last tape; I hope he changes 
his mind. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 

ROBERT RUTMAN, “1939” ($9.50 from Pogus Productions, 151 First Ave. 
#201, New York, NY 10003): Rutman works in steel, creating “sound 
sculptures” which are meant to be looked at as well as played. You can’t 
see them here, but you can hear their eerie, vaguely Indian (this perception 
is helped by the accompaniment on tabla and Tibetan horn) sounds on this 
record. Rutman’s music is dense and ponderous, improvisational but in no 
hurry to be flashy. It takes some getting used to. (LP/MG) 


kkk kk 

SANITY ASSASSINS, demo tape (PO Box 18152, East Hartford, CT 
06118): Is there such a thing as melodic grunge? I guess there must be, 
because I just listened to six songs of it from this new three-piece, featuring 
Keith Grave (x-Dispossessed) on bass. The recording quality is only 
demo-average, but the songs themselves are worth a listen, pounding out 
some barely constrained energy and some nice psychedelic touches. Watch 
for a single on Tombstone soon. (T/MG) 


tk bk 

SHARK ISLAND, “Law of the Order” (Epic, 51 W. 52nd St., New York, 
NY 10019): Shark Island is a very big, traditional arena-rock band, pumping 
out plenty of wattage and guitar solos. Their songwriting seems to focus a 
lot on sex and relationships, and in songs like “Passion to Ashes” and “Bad 
for Each Other” they seem to be promoting a withdrawal from sexual freedom. 
But most of their listeners won't notice; they'll be too busy screaming and 
dancing around. (T/MG) 


toktokk 
SHRINKWRAP, “I’ve Fallen...And I Can’t Get UP!” (Audio-Sadism, PO 
Box 11831, Pittsburgh, PA 15228): A limited edition 2-song tape—tough stuff 
rock. The first number will seem a contentious rodent gnawing its way from 
inside your brain (a secluded grave wherein lie the remains of very early 
Swans and Big Black). The other cut grooves a bit quicker, but with equally 


TOTO TTT 


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106 Audio 


corrosive excess. Throughout both, whirly power saw guitars gnash their 
formidable teeth. Hallmarked with competent production. (T/JM) 


kkk 
SHRINKWRAP, “Smear” ($4 from Audio-Sadism, PO Box 11831, Pit- 
tsburgh, PA 15228): A live industrial/gothic recording, full of shouting and 
pounding and rhythms that go on and on. The audience reaction is pretty 
high, and the band sounds like they’re having a good time. Something to 
appeal to the destructive impulses in us all. (T/MG) 


toto tok 

SIN DROME/FACTOR 42, “Sin Factor” (General Purpose Cassettes, PO 
Box 85, Landenberg, PA 19350): A split tape of eerie music. Sin Drome’s 
stuff is close to being industrial dance music, with lots of artificial sound and 
a jarring presence. Factor 42 has somewhat more range, from morbid songs 
about death (“Sky Burial”, discussing traditional Hindu practices) to gentler, 
almost New Agish instrumentals. Overall, this is a very high quality release, 
with nice packaging and contact info as well as good aggressive music. (T/MG) 


toktotok 

SISTER RAY, “Psycho Sis” b/w “Bathroom Blues” (Ajax Records, PO Box 
146882, Chicago, IL 60614): No, Bunkie, the seven-inch single is not dead. 
This tasty hunk of guitars and vocals comes to you on cherry-red vinyl in a 
numbered edition of 2000 from one of the labels that’s dedicated to keeping 
the format alive. Sister Ray play great, crunchy rock, with lyrics that leave 
one wondering whether this is not a polite party to be at after all. I like 
‘em. (45/MG) 


tok took 
SLATCH, “Welcome to the 90’s” ($4 from PO Box 1907, Hurst, TX 76053): 
They call it “Lizard-rock”; probably the closest widely-recognized genre is 
hardcore, though they do slow down when they see the need and bring in 
some Southwest energy. Best cut here is “Dead-Man”, which is in fact the 
best anti-work number I’ve heard lately, and a good showcase for the band’s 
talents, with everything meshing just so. (T/MG) 


tok took 
SLAUGHTER SHACK, self-titled (Xena Media Manipulations, 21 Spy Pond 
Pkwy., Arlington, MA 02174): A raw, almost primal cross between punk and 
metal that throbs with fierce savagery. Each song follows closely into the 
next one until it all seems to merge together into a roughly hewn energetic 
whole. It’s not pretty, and it isn’t meant to be. It’s street music: tough, no 
bullshit, put up or else, defiant and aggressive. (T/CS) 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


tototok : 

LINDA SMITH, “Love Songs for Laughs” (2117 St. Paul St. #2R, Baltimore, 
MD 21218): A very simple tape, with Linda singing (sometimes multi-tracked) 
over minimal, almost folky instrumentation. Her lyrics make this —tittle 
slices of life and love and laughter, stories from a child’s eyes, I got more 
and more fascinated as the tape continued and I’m convinced this is one of 
the hottest things in this issue, music that tells a story and is a pleasure to 
listen to. What more could you want? (T/MG) 


toto 

SOCIETY GONE MADD, “What Do You Care?” (Viable UTterance 
Records, PO Box 4191, Burbank, CA 91503): A straightforward hardcore effort 
with crisp guitars, thoughtful lyrics and a California punk sound that moves 
from ‘moderate to extra fast. The lyrics pull this one together, especially in 
“Segregation, Separation,” a simple plea to “tear down America’s version of 
the Berlin” but which warns “desegregate, but don’t overdo it/so it ends up 
in reverse discrimination.” It’s an endless’ struggle, and Society Gone Madd 
at least try to make some sense of it. (LP/TG) 


tk kk 
SOCKEYE/THAT CHEEZY SENSATION, untitled ($3.50 from David 
Schall, PO Box 2143, Stow, OH 44224): Blue split 7” EP from two bands who 
prove the hardcore scene shows no signs of fading from the musical melee. 
Both bands play loud, angry music about Calvin punks, straight-edges, 
vegetarians and other people they want to offend; both seem to have fun 
doing it. You'll enjoy the results. (EP/DW) 


tek kk 

SOULSIDE, “Hot Bodi-Gram” ($6 from Dischord Records, 3819 Beecher 
St. NW, Washington, DC 20007): I have to admit that I’ve been out of touch 
with Dischord of late so I looked forward to get the feel of what it’s like 
jamming to a hardcore album. But no way! “Hot Bodi-Gram” is distorted 
feedback bite size bursts of songs that bring to mind lots of people: Buck 
Pets, New Model Army, Dinosaur Jr. Soulside has the bark of a hardcore 
group but with the 80’s spark of Buffalo Tom. The lyrics are simple and the 
vocals are a little bit overdone but I was surprised by this work. Something 
to reckon with. (LP/KB) 


ttokkk 
SPIDERBABY, selt-titled (Deco Records, PO Box 88175, Los Angeles, CA 
90010): A new band based out of Hollywood has emerged with a promising 
disc. The four song effort is pop material with a strong reference to the 


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37. FIRE PARTY ‘NewOrleans Opera * 
36. FUGAZI CD combines Nos 30 & 35 
35. FUGAZI ‘Margin Walker EP* 
34. SOULSIDE 3-song 7” 
33. THREE (3) Dark Days Coming’ LP* 


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FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Audio 107 


Ramones (“Pilsner Song”) but with a greater value on the keyboards. “About 
Her” stood out among the rest on account of everything just clicking. I hear 
a little bit of the Pixies in there; the only problem is that the vocals are 
mixed too low for my taste. You might hear from this band in the near 
future but with Spiderbaby time is what they need to gel into a better band. 
(EP/KB) 


tok tk 

SPIKE, “Save The Children” ($5.50 from The Furnace Room, 10556 Lincoln 
St. SE, East Canton, OH 44730): This is a recording of a live concert Spike 
gave in 1981 to benefit the pro-life group Birthright. It’s unabashed evangelical 
Christian folkie rock, with a heavy and direct message. Spike sings of the 
children, ending with “Let Them Live”, a song which reserves to God the 
right to “call them home”. Very mellow music and a nice sound, but people 
will love it or hate it based on their politics and religion. (T/MG) 


tok tok 

SQUELCH, “South of Hayward” ($4 from 1738A Grove St., San Francisco, 
CA 94117): Fast and loud rock music from a three-piece that seems to feel 
the guitar solo is the heart of rock—an attitude that’s sometimes hard to 
argue with. Lyrcis are sometimes silly (“Rock Star Sneakers”) and sometimes 
traditionally punk in their warnings about society (“Auto Pilot”). I expect 
these guys will get signed soon enough; I’ve heard lots worse on the indie 
labels. (T/MG) 


kkk 
RUSS STEDMAN, “Hi Honey...Drop Dead” (311 1/2 N. Main #301, 
Mitchell, SD 57301): Good natured rough & tumbled around the edges grunge 
rock coming at you via electronic instruments that aren’t afraid to play and 
be heard. Though it’s upbeat and kind of catchy, it’s definitely aggressive 
and it’s got bite. Around that swirl warped noises and bent sounds that lend 
an experimental air to it. (T/CS) 


tokkokok 
SUEDOE, “Octovo Macabre” ($5 from Videospeak Productions, PO Box 
751912, Memphis, TN 38175): A suite of macabre music to go with the 
included pamphlet of macabre images, which was offered previously without 
music. List price is $7, but it’s only $5 if you mention FF, or $4 if you already 
bought the pamphlet. It’s a well-done experience, all working together to 
produce a heightened sensitivity and bring Death into your living room.(T/MG) 


tok took 

SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA, “Out There a Minute” (Restless Records, 
11264 Playa Ct., Culver City, CA 90231): The CD version of Sun Ra’s own 
selection of his classic tracks from the 60’s, issued jointly with Blast First and 
containing one more track than the LP. This is great addictive jazz, full of 
spacy sounds and rock sensibilities, wandering off into sheer noise but always 
coming back to a core of pulsating, horn-heavy energy. If you know Sun Ra, 
you want this; if not, you might want to find out what you're missing. 
(CD/MG) 


tok kkk 

THE SWINGING ERUDITES, “Pretentious Crapola” ($7.25 from One- 
Dimensional Records, PO Box 1926, Harvard Sq. Stn., Cambridge, MA 02238): 
A record of wild cover versions and silly parody tunes, including one which 
even takes some shots at parody bands. Their most offensive number is 
probably the extended Village People tribute “Disco Lives!”; their funniest, 
the ode to the big-hair set, “The Hoodsie Rap”. The Captain and Tenille, 
Sonny and Cher, and Joy Division get theirs, and side two starts off with 
lounge crooner versions of a bunch of old punk stanbys. (LP/MG) 


tek kk 

THE SYMPTOMS, “West” (What Hiss Music Co., PO Box 24155, 
Winston-Salem, NC 27114-4155): This is only two guys but it sounds like half 
a dozen bands. They start out with some roots rock, but don’t stay there for 
long, ranging back and forth from experimental to near gothic to intense 
emotional schmaltzy things and further afield. The talent is there, but the 
lack of unity makes it a bit confusing. Worth a listen, then tape off the songs 
you like. (T/MG) 


kk kkk 
TAD, “Salt Lick” (Sub Pop Records, 1932 1st Ave. #1103, Seattle, WA 
98101): Another slab of sound from the Meat Loaf of the 90’s. Actually, while 
Tad has some of the Loaf’s build, he doesn’t bother with the snappy lyrics 
and rock operatic arrangements. Instead, this is bass-heavy turgid rock, with 
growling, babbling vocals slathered heavily on top. It doesn’t matter that the 
words are hopelessly muddled since it’s the experience that’s important here. 

Like being sat on by an elephant. (EP/MG) 


tk kkk 
THE TECHNOPRIMATIVES, self-titled (£1.99 from Sorcerer Sound 
Productions, 34 Bassingham Rd., Wembley, Middlesex, HAO 4RL, UK): 
Synthesizer and SFX experimentation that doesn’t really seem to get anywhere. 
There’s a halting feel to this tape, as one gets watching a cat creep slowly 
into a new area and then draw back, time and again, to analyze what's 
going on. Every once in a while they rise to some level of excitement, but 
quickly cool once again. For collectors of new combinatoric possibilities only. 
(T/MG) 
tok kk 
THELEMONADE RETROSPECTIVE, “Awftershawk” ($4 from We Press, 
PO Box 1503, Santa Cruz, CA 95061): Mutant music-poetry recorded in 
earthquake-shaken Santa Cruz only a few days after the ground moved. Eerie 


slow-moving musical lines combine with somewhat portentous vocals to 
produce a late-night psychic feast. The words here are directed at everything 
from love to politics, and are unsettling throughout. (T/MG) 


tek tok 

THREE LEGGED DOG, self-titled ($3 from Tim Aynard, 1201 E. Ash, 
Columbia, MO 65201): This three song single showcases a variety of styles. 
The title track is a bluesy number, full of crunchy guitars and dog howls. 
“Hate School” is a revved up song with some Black Flag riffs, while “Spinning 
Whirl”, the real gem here, harkens to a Minuteman funkiness. Not the most 
original work, but you can’t blame anyone for being influenced by others. 
Also the sound quality is better than the band thinks. (45/LJC) 


tok took 

TOUCH, “Ritual” ($10 from 13 Osward Road, London SW17 7SS, UK): 
A young reviewer puts a tape into the tape deck, flicks the switch...and is 
instantly transported into a twilight zone of bent ideas and twisted styles. 
The host for this aural exploration is a group of Pygmy Rod Serlings, distant 
relations to Fritz Lang and Blixa Bargeld, bred in cold European industrial 
wastelands and raised on media overload. An interesting trip that promises 
to expand your horizons and open your ears. (T/CS) 


took Ik 

TRAGIC MULATTO, “Hot Man Pussy” ($7 from Alternative Tentacles 
Records, PO Box 11458, San Francisco, CA 94101): These SF long-timers have 
an ambience composed of roughly equal parts of rudeness and noise. 
Fascinated with sex and excrement, they express themselves through a mix 
of instruments and styles, owing some to rock and some to industrial. The 
results range from a version of “Whole Lotta Love” even worse than the one 
your little brother’s cover band used to crank after school to the tuba and 
banjo madness of “The Sheriff of Weed”. (LP/MG) 


to ttek 

TRIPTIC OF A PASTEL FERN, “The Crushing Evanescence” ($6 from 
Poison Plant Music, 7 Woodsend Pl., Rockville, MD 200854): This stuff comes 
at you and comes at you on a runaway locomotive of cycling electronic 
shimmies and repetitive sledgehammer percussion, pauses momentarily for 
sequences of brilliantly annoying gibberish, then kicks back into gear—again 
and again and again until you force yourself to stop turning the tape over 
and popping it back into the deck. No joke. Music without riffs for brains 
without frontiers. Order yours today. (T/KS) 


tok tot 

TRIPTIC OF A PASTEL FERN, “Fisty Stealth” ($5 from Poison Plant 
Music, 7 Woodsend PI., Rockville, MD 20854): Very aggressive electronic rock 
(or perhaps rock opera—there’s an operatic majesty about this release). Several 
cuts here are strong enough to leave an uneasy feeling in the pit of the 
stomach, notably “Livingly Harsh” and “Fisty Opera”; it’s almost as if the 
music has a biological component. Certainly a long way from New Age easy 
listening synth pap. (T/MG) 


kk kkk 

TRUST OBEY, “Rip Saw” ($4 to John Bergin, 4503 Washington St., Kansas 
City, MO 64111): This is a high quality mutation of experimental/industrial 
noise and spooky gloom rock. It’s screams and heavily distorted guitars 
throughout, with dripping ozone rhythms and part of a broadcast from the 
Rosenberg execution (the part where they talk about having to give Ethel a 
second shot). Hypnotic and frightening, Trust Obey produces mood music 
for mass murderers. (T/TG) 


toktotok 

THE U-KREW, self-titled (Enigma Records, PO Box 3628, Culver City, 
CA 90231-3628): I don’t know if anyone else would recognize this as a genre, 
but I call U-Krew’s music “hard rap”. They’re clearly in the rap/hip-hop arena, 
but their sound is tougher, approaching heavy metal in spots. Standouts 
include the strong anti-cocaine “Pick Up the Pieces” and the driving, 
scratch-laden “Rock That Shit”. If regular rap is too wimpy for you, try the 
U-Krew. (T/MG) 


totototok 
JASON UNDERGROUND, “Under An Extra Tent” ($4.50 from The 
Furnace Room, 10556 Lincoln St. SE, East Canton, OH 44730): Folk music 
recorded in part around a campfire. The lyrics are a social consciousness/Chris- 
tian mix (i.e., help the oppressed but no abortions). Included are a revamped 
edition of “This Land is Your Land” and “The Prophet” about a street-comer 
prophet. (T/CER) 


th tk 
UNSTABILITY, self-titled (4 Henry St., Lakewood, NJ 08701): These guys 
sound like a younger version of Ministry. The same relentless drums, industrial 
noises and tortured Al Jourgensen-style vocals. The accompanying lyrics 
booklet and sophomoric “Dr. Drool” comic dwell on overworked anti-estab- 
lishment topics like yuppie scum, psychological illness, etc. Not particularly 
original. (T/DW) 
kk kkk 
THOMAS VAN DYKE, “This is Not Heaven” (Esync Ocular Interchange, 
PO Box 380621, Miami, FL 33238): Fast-paced earnest pop-edged rock that 
bounces around. Van Dyke has a good voice and decent songwriting, and a 
few numbers that stick, especially the closing “Don’t Put Me On Hold” that 
captures both the pace and frustration of modern life. (T/MG) 


kkk kk 


108 Audio 


Various Artists, “Amnesty International Benefit Compilation” ($7 from 
Rex Records, 112 Donbury Rd., Resitertown, MD 21136): A live compilation 
tape featuring four bands: Black Friday, Sunday Cannons, The Pearifishers 
and The Unknown. They’re all generally in the guitar rock arena, with the 
melodic, dense rock of the Pearlfishers my favorite. There’s a mix of dance 
number and activist tunes here, and the recording is impeccable. Proceeds 
to benefit Amnesty International, of course. (T/MG) 


kkk Ik 
Various Artists, “Beware of the Savage Cud” ($3 from Craig Blomquist, 
Cud Brain Tapes, 48 Beck, Lindenhurst, IL 60046): A pretty wide-ranging 
compilation tape of relative unknowns. I got a kick out of the deranged 
country-punk of Danny Sleeze, especially “All You Commies (Eat me Raw)”. 
Other contributors include Col. Tom and the Epstein Brothers and White 
China, a mostly instrumental, experimental bunch. (T/MG) 


tk tkk 
Various Artists, “Danses Macabres” (Headkleaner c/o Jerome Roemer, 38 
Boulevard de Lyon, 67000 Strasbourg, FRANCE): A mostly strong collection 
of an electronic variety with entries presented by artists mainly from France, 
but from Germany and England as well. The selections variously caress, 
groove, pop, lumber, shine and bite. Accolades and name dropping: X Ray 
Pop give a hot little number with a captivating rhythm and a nice display 
of the French language; Likid Wesel chortles some hypnotic Lovecraftian 
splendor; Hermaphrodisiak weaves an Arabic sonic mosaic. Other artists 
include Random Confusion, The Detective, Deaf Goes East. Pretty good stuff. 
(TM) 
kkk tk 
Various Artists, “Ecstasy By Current II” (Schizophonia, Grossbeerenstr. 
90, 1000 Bertin 61, WEST GERMANY): A collection of experimental and 
industrial noises from all over the world. This includes Illusion of Safety from 
the US, Vidna Obmana from Belgium, and In Slaughter Natives from Sweden. 
Japan’s Dissecting Table closes it all off with a heavy tribal beat and plenty 
of screaming vocals. Modern noises for people who aren’t afraid to try 
something new. (LP/MG) 


kk kkk 
Various Artists, “Feature Mist” ($10 CASH from Touch, 13 Osward Rd., 
London SW17 7SS, UK): A nicely-packaged melange of sounds, blending from 
track to track so that it all seems to fit despite its diversity. There’s some 
Simple Minds, some experimental stuff (“Eric Random Meets the Bedlamites 
in Cassette Conference”), Shostakovich, New Order, Tuxedomoon, and more. 
Never boring, never predictable. (T/MG) 


kkk kk 

Various Artists, “Hypertonia Pop Collection 2” ($6 from Jan Bruun, 
Hypertonia World Enterprises, PO Box 4307, N-5008 Bergen, NORWAY): It’s 
interesting to see how the different countries represented on this cassette 
tend to produce their own styles of music. France with synthesizers, England 
with a standard rock lineup, and so on. Donald Campau’s (USA) verbal 
meanderings are reminiscent of Robert Ashley; Das Freie Orchester (DDR) 
produces an interesting “We Shall Overcome” with a rhythmic, rap feel and 
operatic vocals; Shadowplay (BRD) produces a blistering industrial instrumen- 
tal. Most compositions seem well-picked alternatives to the standard 
around-the-world fare heard elsewhere. (T/KJ) 


tot tk 
Various Artists, “J.D.s Top Ten Tape” ($5 CASH from PO Box 1110, 
Adelaide St. Stn., Toronto, ONT, M5C 2K5, CANADA): Actually there’s 11 
bands on this homocore (hardcore and other new music for the young gay 
punk crowd) compilation. Best bets come from No Brain Cells, Fifth Column, 
Robt. Omlit and Zuzu’s Petals. Lots of looseness here, sloppy playing, plenty 
of energy and outrageous lyrics. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 

Various Artists, “MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL Presents They Don’t Get 
Paid, They Don’t Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard” (Blacklist Mailorder, 
251 Shipley St., San Francisco, CA 94107): This compilation includes a 24-page 
zine with blurbs on each of the 14 bands included and samples from 10 
zines, “representing this project’s DIY [Do It Yourself] theme.” Included on 
the vinyl are the Detonators, Christ on a Crutch, Screeching Weasel, Nausea 
and more. In the zine department there’s Hippycore, the Village Noize ,and 
Absolutely Zippo. Essential as either an introduction or continuation. (LP/TG) 


kk kkk 

Various Artists, “Morrison St.” (Paris Records, 9794 Forest Ln. #595, 
Dallas, TX 75243): Texas is tangible in this poetry anthology from the start. 
In Robert Trammell’s “Untitled” the hear and the cacti are just the start of 
a trip to the border in a ‘49 Mercury. And then there’s the desert,the roaches, 
the hurricane...and everyone’s mother, too. Topics and details don’t describe 
this rapid tumble through the creative and literal voices of 20 Dallas poets. 
To call, for example, Sheryl St. Germain’s “For One Who Has Known Grief” 
a tale of sex and death is to give no clue of its power—spoken, carefully, 
in dry-mouthed seriousness. There’s a lot in listening to someone else talk 
for a change. Green vinyl. (LP/KF) 


tek kk 
Various Artists, “The New Breed” (Roadracer Records, 225 Lafayette St. 
#709, New York, NY 10012): This tape, a cooperative effort from Hawker, 
Emergo, RC and Roadracer, has something that will satisfy every musical 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


taste. Gang Green offers killer grunge-metal-hardcore; Token Entry mixes it 
up with rock/funk/punk sound; and Boston’s Jones Very offers a slab of 
college-radio style hyperactive pop. An expansive primer to the new music 
scene and to some up-and-coming bands. (T/DW) 


kkk tk 

Various Artists, “New York Rockers” (ROIR, 611 Broadway #411, New 
York, NY 10012): A tenth-anniversary collection from ROIR, one of the best 
all-cassette labels around. It bills itself as “an anthology of anti-hits and rate 
tracks from Manhattan’s original rock underground”. Some of my favorite 
tracks here come from the Dictators, Johnny Thunders, Suicide, and Television. 
If you have every ROIR tape ever, you don’t need this; otherwise, it’s a 
good introduction to 13 of their top artists. (T/MG) 


ttt tok 

Various Artists, “Oh God, My Mom’s on Channel 10!” ($9 from Nadwuar 
the Human Serviette, PO Box 27021, 1395 Marine Dr., West Vancouver, BC, 
V7T 2X8, CANADA): “14 of the most mozza-relling teen zit angst bands 
around” is how this one is plugged, but you won’t go far wrong by thinking 
of it as a showcase of some of the best garage bands in Canada and the 
States today. Primo tracks come from the Mighty Squirrels, the Headless 
Horsemen, The Vindicators and Gruesomes, with all manner of fuzzbox and 
cheesy organ work. An excellent rockin’ record, broken up by siller interview 
segments between compiler Nadwuar and celebrities dumb enough to come 
within microphone range. Includes a 16-page booklet with details on all the 
bands. (LP/MG) 


kkk kk 
Various Artists, “Panx Vinyl Zine 01” ($16/next 5 EPs from Panx, BP 5058 
31033 Toulouse Cedex, France): The introductory release in a series of 
subscription EPs designed to spotlight young European bands, mainly in the 
hardcore side of the punk world. This issue features tracks from Bluck!, Plaies 
Mobiles, S.O.R., and Anti/Dogmatikss. A nice collection, with backup literature 
on each band. (EP/MG) 


kk tkkk 
Various Artists, “Panx Vinyl Zine 02” (Panx, BP 5058 31033 Toulouse 
Cedex, France): A six song/five band effort with one apiece from Society Gone 
Madd, the Stench, Cold Vietnam, Fanatical Views, and two from Germany’s 
Resident Mockery. This is hardcore, with each band striking it’s own balance 
between punk and metal influences. Society Gone Madd’s “Religous 
Fundamentalists” stood out for me, but it’s all good stuff. (EP/TG) 


kkkkk 

Various Artists, “Plunderphonics” (Available “only to public access and 
broadcast organizations”—send SAE & IRC for info to Mystery Laboratory, 
PO Box 727, Stn. P, Toronto, ONT, M5S 2Z1, CANADA): A wonderful romp 
through the world of music, made up of hits from many eras reprocessed 
and electronically altered. There’s Michael Jackson repeating himself, Liszt 
done Spike Jones style, Bing Crosby and Dolly Parton warbling at the wrong 
speeds, the Beatles in multiple overdubbing, music boxes, tuning, stolen 
beats...Musical mayhem, in short. It’s all seamlessly assembled and distributed 
in a strictly limited edition. (CD/MG) 


tok ktk 
Various Artists, “The Pony: A Collection of Hymns, Psalms, National 
Anthems, Folk Songs & General Blasphemy” ($5 from Hypertonia World 
Enterprises, Jan Bruun, PO Box 4307, N5008 Bergen, NORWAY): The title 
just about sums it all up—there’s everything here from A to Z contributed 
by artists from around the world. It starts off on a majestic note with Trigger 
B (from West Germany) and then changes gears again and again with musical 
waywardness. The offerings run the gamut from cool industrial nowage music 
to offbeat ditties to ethereal ambience to spiritual to warped. Of particular 
interest is the US contribution, “This is a Song About AIDS (Ring Around 
the Rosy)” which takes a child’s song and applies it to serious issues—an 
interesting juxtaposition. (T/CS) 
toto tok 
Various Artists, “Principles” ($7 from EEMC, PO Box 3219, Eugene, OR 
97403): Ninety minutes of topnotch work from the members of the Eugene 
Electronic Music Collective. For the most part the work is bouncy and 
fast-moving, though a few pieces slide to abrasive in one direction or eerie 
in the other. Contributors include Heather Perkins, Kris Thomas, Joel Horwitz, 
Sue Milleman, and seven more. Anyone who’s into modern electronic 
mostly-pop should definitely get hold of this and the Collective's catalog. 
(T/MG) 
tk kkk 
Various Artists, “Right Next Door” ($4.50 from Independent Music 
Network, PO Box 3516,, Carbondale, IL 62902): The IMN links together a 
number of home-recorded artists from across the country, and this polished 
telease is a showcase for their talents. The A side is rock-oriented, 
almost slicker than I like in spots, but with high points including Glacier’s 
“Go Away”. The B side is quieter, with jazz stuff from Rick Cucuzza and 
others and a bit of New Age instrumentalism as well. An enjoyable alternative 
to an hour of radio. (T/MG) 


tot totk 
Various Artists, “Screaming in the Mirror” (Ticklish Tapes, PO Box 1064, 
Collingswood, Vic. 3066, AUSTRALIA): How to describe the variety of offerings 
here without taking up too much time a») space? There is no as 
theme” that links each song. Each offering is different in style, content an 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Audio 109 


delivery. And yet, therein lies a good part of the attraction of the tape: you 
never know what you'll hear next from. From an exhortation of animal rights 
to a doomy gloomy paean of psychedelia to a girlish giggle/babble of music, 
each offering is noteworthy and creative. (T/CS) 


tok kkk 

Various Artists, “Touch Travel” ($10 CASH from Touch, 13 Osward Road, 
London SW17 7SS UK): Another lovely package from the Touch people. This 
one features music from around the world—the chant of a Yanomamo shaman, 
infectious bouncy pop from London, Argentinian folk songs, mioddeastern 
stuff from 3 Mustaphas 3, and more. It’s all packaged with four colorful 
posters, with notes on the music, artwork, quotes, small stories, and who 
knows what else. A detailed and fascinating package. 


kkk IK 
Various Artists, “Universal Mind Expansion” ($4.50 CHECK/MO from Mike 
Jones, 10001 N. 7th St. #248, Phoenix, AZ 85020): Thirteen tracks from nine 
of Phoenix’s unknown underground bands. There’s a lot of harsh noises on 
this tape, with a batch of live performance and not a little industrial. Bands 
represented here include Telepathic Siamese Twins, Ping Doing, and 
Crawlspace Jr. (T/MG) 


tokotokk 

Various Artists, “West Light” (Centrediscs, 20 St. Joseph St., Toronto, 
ONT, M4Y 1J9, CANADA): Another in the fine series of contemporary music 
by Canadian composers put out by Centrediscs, performed in this case by 
the Vancouver New Music Ensemble. I think my favorite here is the lead 
piece, Rudolf Komorous’s “Rossi”, which dashes jauntily through a dozen 
musical styles without stooping to parody. Other entries include conductor 
Owen Underhill’s own “Escalator” and the somewhat formal “Estarrung” of 
Rodney Sharman. (CD/MG) 


kk kkk 

Various Artists, “We Three Bings” (Vital Music, 263 E. 10th St., New 
York, NY 10009): A very funny Christmas collection, pressed on bright green 
vinyl, and featuring some great New York underground talent. Rats of Unusual 
Size lead off with their version of “Santa Claus is Coming”. Other hot tracks 
include the Yeastie Girlz “Jingle Balls”, Purple Geezus covering the Chipmunk’s 
Christmas Song, and Ed Gein’s Car and their modernized “O Merry Town 
of Surfing Gentlemen”. I only wish it had come in in time to make our 
December issue. (LP/MG) 


tk kik 

Various Artists, “Widemouth Sampler” ($4 from PO Box 382, Baltimore, 
MD 21203): A bargain introduction to the world of curious sounds available 
from Widemouth. It features 31 selections from 26 tapes, moving from the 
rather clipped language poetry that started it off to the assaults of Doktors 
for Wotan and the mania of tentatively, a convenience. Includes copies of 
the liner notes for each of the tapes excerpted. Definitely something to get 
if the boundaries of language and performance excite you. (T/MG) 


tok kkk 

VERLAINES, “Hallelujah All the Way Home” (Homestead Records, PO 
Box 800, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-0800): Originally put out in 1985 but 
just being released in the states. Unlike the beautifully somber “Birddog” 
(1988), this album crosses a transition period for the band. More upbeat than 
usual, they weave jangly guitars, french hors, and cellos into their songs, 
constantly switching tempos to create heartfelt music. It might seem offbeat 
at first, but repeated listens uncover the unique beauty of the Verlaines 
sound. (LP/LJC) 


tok kkk 


VIBRATING EGG, “The Castle of Dr. Eggmorbulon” (PO Box 18685, 


Rochester, NY 14618): This one seems to have been assembled rather than 
composed, and is sort of a sidehanded tribute to a couple of classic horror 
movies. The A Side starts with the soundtrack for The Bridge of Frankenstein, 
the B with Godzilla vs. Gigan. But then each is condensed and overlaid with 
other goodies, from Jerry Lewis on back to Richard Wagner, making for a 
miniature audio movie with a convoluted plot. (T/MG) 


tek tok 
VIKTIMIZED KARCASS, “Live at the South End” (Harsh Reality Music, 
PO Box 241661, Memphis, TN 38124-1661): Nasty, swampy, live recording of 
a grungey punk band. The lyrics are too muffled to make out, but the sound 
is definitely scary, funky & melodic. (T/CER) 


toto tok 

VOICE OF LARYNGITIS #17/RADIO NORTH COAST INTERNATIONAL 
Halloween 1987 ($4 and a blank TDK or Maxell C-90 Chrome tape from DVS, 
PO Box 452, Wellsville, NY 14895): A pair of pirate radio broadcasts, taped 
off the shortwave but of very high quality. Voice of Laryngitis is very satirical, 
with a long piece on the Kennedy assassination and little music. RNCI, on 
the other hand, is almost all music—specifically, a Phil Spector marathon for 
Halloween, the “Night of Spectres”. An interesting experience in alternative 
listening. (T/MG) 
teokototok 
THE VOODOO DOLLS, “I’m Coming Back To Haunt You” b/w “This 
Town Makes Me Feel So Lonely” (Stanton Park Records, PO Box 58, 
Newtonville, MA 02160): Lively brisk-paced garage rock somewhat akin to 
the Ramones in spirit but more 60’s underground in execution. It’s scruffily 
cheerful and upbeat, and rings out with great resolution. (45/CS) 


ttt 


WILLIE WALKER, “God Bless America” (Dish Studios, 783 Woodland 
Ave., Plainfield, NJ 07062): Gentle mostly-acoustic guitar melodies with laid 
back lyrics of love and life. Willie’s work reminds me a bit of Peter, Paul 
and Mary, or perhaps Sonny & Cher; it sounds definitely dated today, 
although you’d think caring and sharing wouldn’t go out of style. 
Well-produced but lacking in punch. (T/MG) 


kkkkk 

WALLMEN, “Nemilaw: You Are the Wallmen Today” ($4 from Jethro 
Deluxe, 7711 Lisa Ln., N. Syracuse, NY 13212): This band is getting slicker 
in its packaging and cleaner in its mix but no less strange in its concept. 
Bringing SubGenial music to the masses by eschewing Doktor-stylings in favor 
of rock, they confuse and confound with such numbers as “Does Your Mom 
Do Drugs” and “Sump Pud”. Drugs couldn’t make them this weird; it must 
be the touch of Dobbs that inspires their eerie, melodious rock. (T/MG) 


kakkk 

WARLOCK PINCHERS, “Deadly Kung Fu Action” ($7 from Boner Records, 
PO Box 2081, Berkeley, CA 94702-0081): Satanic punk hip-hop music: certainly 
the only band in the genre, and hence the best. I predict “Morrissey Rides 
A Cockhorse”, with its string of obscenities chorus, will be an instant hit. 
There’s plenty of ragging on other folks, paeans to Satan, and a sound that 
might cause you to burn your steteo in self-defense. A joke, yes, but they 
seem pretty serious about it. (LP/MG) 


kekkk 
WAS ISN'T #25 ($5 from Allin, PO Box 60254, Oklahoma City, OK 73146): 
Remember when you got your first tape recorder as a kid? Remember how 
much fun it was to run around recording people with the cheap mike, even 
though what they said was almost lost in the static? OK, that’s what we've 
got here. Some of it is interviews from the zine of the sare name, but most 
is just mindless chatter, bands tuning, and other filler. (T/MG) 


took tok 

DEREK WHITE, “Starfisheye” ($5 from 10 Leonardo Ln., Santa Cruz, CA 
95064): Gentle, almost folky rock with a charming sound—which is made 
even more charming by the sometimes unintentional backing vocals from two 
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and a Peachfront Lovebird. Derek puts together 
hypnotic guitar lines with lyrics that capture quiet moments with poetic 
intensity. It’s tapes like these that help me calm down after a long day 
dealing with the world. (T/MG) 


tokototok 
GEORGE WILLARD, “Earcandy” ($2 from D. Craig, 2157 Seaman Ct., 
Herndon, VA 22070): Only an hour long, but it seems like more due to the 


PECIAL 
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WHEN OT 
RAINS 
if FOAMS 


$7.00 Postpaid 











a 


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productions 


3408 JULIET ST PITTSBURGH PA 15213 


Make checks payable to Brian Weicker 








110 


sometimes submarginal production and the ambient industrial nature of the 
music. Willard plays with various cheap guitars, a ukulele, a cheap Casio 
organ and bass to produce a dense thicket of noise, often repeating tot he 
point of near-madness or deliberately attempting to drive people away 
(“Halloween Theme” reportedly kept him free of being bothered by the little 
monsters that night). (T/MG) 


kkk 
WIRE, “On Returning” (Restless Records, 11264 Playa Ct., Culver City, 
CA 90231-6127): I’ve been less than thrilled, to put it charitably, with recent 
recordings by Wire. With the release of this compilation of their material from 
1977-79 (including cuts from “154”, “Pink Flag” and “Chairs Missing” as well 
_as various B sides) I can finally see what the fuss was about. There’s a spunk 
about some of this material, a lack of deadly slickness, that takes their punk 
stylings and makes them worth a spin. Cuts like “I Am the Fly” and “40 
Versions” seem to have an energy that their later albums lack. Get this and 

telive the good old days, I guess. (CD/MG) 


kkk 
WORKING MOTHERS, “Tomorrow’s Here” (PO Box 26541, Birmingham, 
AL 35226): Hard-driving rock with a sound something like the Ramones at 
their least stupid and most together. The four songs here aren’t going to set 
any records for new ideas or clever lyrics (though “She Don’t Love” ain’t 
bad in that department), but they will get the blood pumping and the teens 
leaping around the room playing air guitar riffs. (EP/MG) 


tk tk 

WORLD ENTERTAINMENT WAR, “Televisionary” (PO Box 410212, San 
Francisco, CA 94141): Techno-funk with McLuhanish lyrics for the modem 
world. My favorite cut here is the hymnal “Triple Witching Hour”, its attitude 
towards money and Wall Street reminding me of classic Yippie antics. “K-Mart 
Tribal Ballet” looks into the clash of culture and consumerism, while “Left 
Hand Fights The Right” delves into the subjects of entertainment and 
celebrities themselves. (LP/MG) 


kk kkk 
GARY WRAY, “Instrument of Doom” (18540 Cantara St., Reseda, CA 
91335): Swamp-sludge mostly synthetic music, with only a few vocal cuts 
(including the bogeyman tale “Swamp Monster”). Wray presents a variety of 
moods, from upbeat cheesy organ bits to eerie nightmarish fantasies. Not 
quite as downbeat as the title would suggest, but still possessed of a bit of 
the madman’s edge. (T/MG) 


khkkk 

SCOTT WYATT, “Beyond the Lines” (Audiomedia, PO Box 1792, Eau 
Claire, WI 54701): Contemporary classical music with strong electronic 
components; some of this stuff was obviously composed with digital 
instruments in mind, but there are other pieces that work with more standard 
percussion, sax or guitar. Wyatt tends to paint careful soundscapes, exploring 
gently while never dragging the listener too fast. It’s soothing music, that 
passes much more quickly than the 55-minute playing time suggests. (CD/MG) 


kkkkk 

XENOGLOSSIA, demo tape ($1 & a blank cassette from Bill Cooney, 
840 Ct., North Liberty, IA 52317): Death metal from Iowa, complete 
with doom-laden song titles (try “Charnel House” and “Ragnarok”), sinister 
bass riffs punctuated with pseudo-classical guitar triads, and scary Darth 
Vader vocals by some guy named Ethan. A buck and a blank tape will get 
you their demo, and maybe even the cool monster sticker they sent along 
with the review copy. (T/KS) 


kkkkk 
XYZ, self-titled (Enigma Records, PO Box 3628, Culver City, CA 
90231-3628): Lush power rock with production by Don Dokken, poised on 
the edge between slickness and grunge. They promise a big sound and they 
deliver. Their lyrics are more metallic than their music, all full of dark and 
despairing stuff, though not unrelentingly so. Aimed squarely at the 
Mainstream radio market. (T/MG) 


kh kkk 
RICHARD YOUNGER, “Dance of Shiva” ($5 from Rebel Toy Records, 
PO Box 625, New York, NY 10002): Mostly gentle instrumentals (some with 
bits of tape-collage vocals mixed in) that concentrate on Richard’s soothing 
acoustic guitar playing, with some synth work added in. I listened to this 
early one morning when I was feeling pretty harassed and harried by the 
world. It helped. (T/MG) 


te tek kek 
Z-BO MAN, “Shut The Fuck Up” (Derailed, 1250 Long Beach Ave. #220, 
Los Angeles, CA 90021): One song, two mixes (regular and “house, i.e., 
longer and more repetitive), and one line of lyrics, which is also the same 
as the title. The music is bouncing and polished, but somehow, this song 
just doesn’t carry the weight of having a 12” single all to itself. (EP/MG) 


tote tek 

ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND ($15.95 from Audio Literature Inc., 325 
Corey Way #112, S. San Francisco, CA 94080): This is an abridgement of 
Shunryo Suzuki-roshi’s classic book about Zen, wonderfully read by Peter 
Coyote. Being Zen, of course, it is simultaneously maddeningly contradictory 
and amazingly simple (and if I were more Zen, I’d probably see those as 
the same thing). If you have the time to slow down, take a deep breath, 
and actually listen to this, you may find it enlightening indeed. But watch 
out—you too could be sitting za-zen before you know it. (2T-MG) 


Audio 





| 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


tok took 


MUSIC NOTES 


©91X sends me the occasional playlist from their “Loudspeaker” show of 
largely-unsigned noisy music. You can contact them at PO Box 85690, San 
Diego, CA 92138. 

eThe A.1. Waste Paper Co., Ltd. (71, Lambeth Walk, London SE11, 
ENGLAND) is collecting songs for a “thematic compilation tape exchange”. 
They say they want songs about pudding, trains, chickens, madness, and 
“every conceivable subject”. 

@Ajax Records (PO Box 146882, Chicago, IL 60614) will send you their 
current catalog for an SASE. They’re also offering to list collectibles for sale 
on consignment, so get in touch if this interests you. 

@ASHi MUSIC WORKS (349 West St. N #3, Orillia, ONT, L3V 5E1, 
CANADA) writes, “No matter what your favorite jazz canon is, be it the 
early hot jumpin’ thang, the postwar swank coolness or the modern 
elector-mayhem, the form is far from expended. ASFi invited you to build 
on these traditions while utilising that concepts of recyclage, retrofuturism 
and creative plagiarism. Recordings should be submitted as a chromium stereo 
cassette with either Dolby (B or C) or dbx (type II only) noise reduction. The 
submission deadline is 31 May 1990. Compensation for works used will be 
a free copy of the complete project.” 

Burning Press (PO Box 18817, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118) is looking 
for “language-centered cassette tapes” for a future issue of the sometimes- 
cassette magazine TAPROOT. 

®CHRW is the student station at the University of Western Ontario. They 
send me their playlist, which includes a lot of indies including some tapes, 
so there’s hope for your demo. You can contact them at Room 222, University 
Community Centre, University 0 Western Ontario, London, ONT N6A 3K7, 
CANADA. 

eThe Dead Milkmen (PO Box 58152, Philadelphia, PA 19102-8152) publish 
their own newsletter of humor and news for adoring fans. You can get on 
to their mailing list just by writing to them. 

®Ecto Tapes (5912 NW 62nd Terr, Oklahoma City, OK 73122) is putting 
together a compilation of Residents cover songs and wants to receive 
contributions on Hi-Bias chrome tape. 

eEnsemble Vide is a French radio show which wants to receive “good 
harsh music from every country”. Contact Laurent Boyar at BP 12, 33031 Bdx 
Cedex, FRANCE. 

eEpsilonia is a 2-hour weekly radio broadcast on “mail art, free press, 
poetry, alternative ideas, home tapes, new musics, gloomy tendencies, weird 
graphisms, etc.” Contact Christophe Mielle, 182 Ave Jean Lolive, 93500 Pantin, 
FRANCE. 

Fiction Focus is a self-hypnosis tape designed to break writer’s blocks. 
$10.95 from PO Drawer 3423, St. Augustine, FL 32085-3423. 

Heath Dog Violet will send you a current pricelist of 120+ tapes for 
an SASE. Send it to Mark Krischak, 2611 Yorba Linda Blvd. #301, Fullerton, 
CA 92631. 

eJohn Hudak (PO Box 7784, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7784) has a catalog 
of his experimental and environmental tapes available to anyone who asks 
for a copy. } 

©The Independent Music Catalog is essentially a marketing co-op for 
musicians. For $25 you can be a member and have a writeup on your tape 
featured in the next four catalogs. For $3 you can subscribe to the next 4 
catalogs. Write for more information. 

@INDEX (1241 N. Adams St., Tallahassee, FL 32303) is an independent 
tape-distribution service that’s willing to consider new works for their catalog. 
Try an SASE for details. 

®KAOS (The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA 98505) is a college 
radio station heavily dedicated to independent music—their policy requires 
80% of music played to be indies. If you put out records or tapes you should 
probably send them a copy and wait for the playlist, which will certainly 
feature you since they add everything. 

eMEmento is a project Sean Hill is putting together. To participate send 
a one-minute tape of your earliest memories in your own voice, including 
your name, date and place of birth and where you were raised. Send your 
memory on a C-60 tape with your name & address on it and get a copy of 
the finished product. You can contact Sean at 2730 Monroe-Concord Rd., 
Troy, OH 45373. 

®Mix Bookshelf (6400 Hollis St. #12, Emeryville, CA 94608) is an outfit 
that sells resources for audio and video recording: sound effects, MIDI stuff, 
books on loudspeaker design and construction, and so on. Ask to be put on 
their mailing list if you're interested. 

Steven Nothing (Tumult, 2336 Market St. #107, San Francisco, CA 94114)is 
into trading tapes. He’s looking for live recordings of Current 93, Death in 
June, Nurse With Wound and related bands, and has an extensive list of 
things available to trade, including lots of early punk and other goodies. Or 
he'll pay a reasonable sum in cash if you don’t want to swap. 

ePegasus Productions (PO Rox 3302, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662) is a 
marketing organization geared to the needs of up and coming musical artists: 
packaging, promo, press kits, and more. Call Deb Flippen at (205)-381-4340 
for more information. 

Rex Records (112 Danbury Rd., Reistertown, MD 21136) has a catalog 
of their offerings available for a stamp. 

®RICE RADIO FOLIO is the combined program guide and playlist of 

station at Rice. University (KTRU 91.7 FM, Houston, TX 77251-1892). 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Audio 111 


They're technically advanced; their top 25 list is available via Fidonet’s Music 
Echo, as well as in printed form. 

@Space & Time World Enterprises (11438 Killion St. #4, N. Hollywood, 
CA 91601) is John Trubee’s sales company, handling his own music as well 
as other bizarre items. The catalog is pretty small, so an SASE should get 

ou one. 
3 @S.T.A.R. stands for Sound Track Album Retailers, which is what these 
folks do, and have been doing for about twenty years. To get on their monthly 
catalog mailing list, send $10 to PO Box 487, New Holland, PA 17557. 
eTHE WHIPPING POST is a forthcoming catalog of less mainstream music 
from the Southeast which is looking for bands to feature. For more information 
write to 529 PhonoVisual, PO Box 23855, Nashville, TN 37202-3855. 

@WKDI (544 College Ave, Dekalb, IL 60115) is a college radio station that 

gets its playlists out regularly. They use a no-frills presentation, and seem 


to go mainly for the major minor and minor major labels. 
The Music Society 


Probabilities 





“Ambient electronic musical compositions... unfolding to display new 
ideas and sounds.” 


Mike Gunderloy « Factsheet Five #33 * USA 


“It makes me happy to receive a tape as good as yours... very beautiful 
music.” 


Jan R. Bruun» Radio KAOS » NORWAY 


“Great stuff. | like it a lot!” 
Daniel Robichaud» CKUMFM+*CANADA 


“It is really quite good.” 
Allan Clark « The Single Eye » CANADA 


“It's very refreshing to listen to... 
Sandy Nys * Netwerk « BELGIUM 


“| will definitely play this one !” 


Lord Litter * Radio 100 » GERMANY 





THE MUSIC SOCIETY * Rm. #15 « 15 Goldberry Sq + Scarborough ON » 
M1C 3H6 » CANADA 


LoUISA'S BIRTHDAY BIKE 


Hap No BACK Bow 


Please send me a cassette copy of PROBABILITIES. Enclosed is US $8.99 


(cheque or money order) which includes postage & handling. (ON res. add $0.72 
sales tax) 


' 
1‘ 
1 
i] 
‘ 
i] 
' 
! 
i] 
i] 
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED:If not completely satisfied | may return the tape 1 
for a full refund. ; 
t 
' 
' 
' 
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Name: 





Address: 





City: State: Postal Code: Country:__ 

















THE ANIMAL WHO EATS WINTER 
(for Mike Gunderloy) 
by Misha 
illustration by Drain 
An animal has gotten under my skin. 
An animal's violent flight beats in my 
throat and leaves its bloody tracks across 


At night I call to animals of 
fire scattered golden across 
the floor. The disembodied 
eyes of cats, green flames, 

follow my pupation in blue 

flannel and black wool. 
Snouts move in brackish 


my floor. water, liquid bronze eyes 

This animal blazes in my lungs, swims glitter from the slime, a 
up my badger rakes 
bloodstream muddy 
and burrows claws across 
into my my face 
brain. and a snow 

An animal , leopard 
has yowls, his 
lengthened eyes icicles 
my jaw, of alcohol 
leaving its in the 
rapacious half-light. 
appetite women SOME animal 
under my moves under 
tongue. my skin, 

A shadow snarling in 
of an animal my laughter 
paces beside 238 and tangling 
me, hot 4 my thoughts 
breath in a jungle 
staining the of scales. An 


animal’s cry 
echoes over the 
telephone wires, 


bathroom mirror. I 
paw the growling in 
my eyes and take a 


razor to peel back begging my 
my burning skin. friends to stroke 

With each cut a little and run. 
more brindle fur A sophisticated 
pushes through the animal rubs against 
blood and yellow fat. I my ribcage. Its 
find ivory claws, a red tooth. _“ / gentle savagery weasels 

A boreal animal has stretched “ ve ~ into my icy human 


out in my soul causing me to heart. Its trickster’s 
prick my animal thoughts. laughter runs all over 
Coyotes mirth, a wolfs pant, my trail, killing the 
blazing hunger of tiger and cold windigo, and letting my 
salamander creeping toward yellow flame. spirit run free. 

I slap my hands hard across the sharp ears An animal has ripped into my 
of animals. Lions roaring in the mountains, a dreaming. Every morning I wake with 
leopard’s cough, the muzzles of bears nuzzling a wolverine in me and every day I 
against the frosted glass. The cold and pitiless walk like a wolverine walks. 
eye of a hawk looks back at me from the steel 
kettle. 








hiss 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


| peti 


ee ee 





= eo, 








THE BOOK OF THE MOUTH CLUB 


A:ditor’s note: There is a considerable backlog of books waiting 
for review. This seems to happen about once a year and I don’t 
worry about it too much, since books by their nature tend to be 
less ephemeral than most of the rest of what we review. I expect 
to have this cleared up by the next issue. 

Also, I have managed to get some ordering information for Evelyn 
Lau’s book RUNAWAY, which was reviewed last issue (and, 
incidentally, has made the national bestseller lists in Canada, where 
it was published). The Longhouse Bookshop in Toronto is willing 
to ship copies to the U.S. for $12.80, including shipping, handling 
and registration. This is payable in Postal Money Order, Visa or 
Mastercard, and should be sent to the mail-order department at 
Longhouse at 497 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ONT, M5S 1Y2, CANADA; 
phone (416)-921-9995; Fax (416)-921-8614. 

Attention travelers: The Lonely Planet guidebooks have gotten a 
lot of good reviews, and being a homebody myself, I’m not the 
perfect person to review them. The following guides are up for 
grabs at the moment: 

HONG KONG, MACAU & CANTON 

TURKEY 

EASTERN EUROPE ON A SHOESTRING 

NORTH-EAST ASIA ON A SHOESTRING (Japan, Taiwan, 
Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau) 

If you’re recently back from, or about to head to, one of these 
areas, drop me a line and I'll set you up with a guidebook to read 
and review. 

David Alexander, HITLER’S LEGACY ($3.50 plus $1.25 s&h from 
Leisure Books, Customer Service Dept., 276 5th Ave., New York, 
NY 10001): This is pure escapism, with the cover blurb “The Third 
Reich was dead—but the Nazis lived on.” Of course, I have reasons 
for reviewing it here. First, I read this sort of junk, just as I gobble 
potato chips. Second, “David Alexander” actually has ties to the 
small press scene, although not under that name. (No real surprise—I 
know other small-pressers who’ve made their living writing marginal 
books, whether sexual pornography or this sort of violence 
pornography). The basic plot here is simple: the Nazis are still 
around, linked by groups like ODESSA, and they’re still killing folks 
big-time. A tough New York cop gets on the trail of one such 
operation, and chases back and forth all over the world, with a 
variety of lovingly describe weaponry. It’s difficult to believe anyone 
can take seriously such sentences as “Blood spurted from the Nazi’s 
eyeballs as jaw fragments exploded through the roof of his mouth 
and razored through cerebral tissue as though it were so much 
cauliflower,” but I’m sure some people do. All in all, a fast and 
mildly amusing suspenseful read. (281 pp. pb) 


tok kkk 
Mary Anne Ashley, FRAGMENTS I SAVED FROM THE FIRE 
($9 from Papier-Mache Press, 795 Via Manzana,’ Watsonville, CA 
95076-9154): A collection of stories and letters to friends and 
ruminations—Ashley is none too concerned with sticking to one 
particular form—that explore the life of a group of friends referred 








Books 113 


to disparagingly by an outsider as “a bad element in East Yolo 
County”. (To which the author replies “But she’s full of beans. We’re 
good elements. Maybe just a little too loud.”) These people are 
stunningly real, perhaps because of their marginality. Rather than 
the glamorous nothings that populate modern novels, the characters 
here live on the edge of poverty, struggle with the radical unions 
in the 30s, get involved with hellraising in the 60s. In some ways 
this book is a process of recovery, a source for folks who don’t 
make it into the archives, a new window on a depressed world 
which may just be coming back as the economy spirals down again. 
I enjoyed it a good deal, and would recommend Ashley’s work to 
anyone who wants to read some good feminist historical literature. 
(112 pp. tpb) 
kKkkkk 

— AWAKENING OSIRIS: THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD 
($11.95 from Phanes Press, PO Box 6114, Grand Rapids, MI 49516): 
The Egyptian BOOK OF THE DEAD is thought by the unreading 
to be a morbid book: incantations over corpses, curses to protect 
the dead body on its trip to the everworld, recipes for embalming 
fluids. But the Egyptians called it THE BOOK OF COMING FORTH 
BY DAY, and it is a book of life-affirming religious tests written 
over centuries on the walls of Egyptian tombs and the sides of 
coffins. And in Normandi Ellis’s translation, this is a beautiful book. 
She translates with a deft ear, reworking the texts for her own 
purposes, and she even writes three of the 68 chapters all by herself. 
Translation as invention makes for imprecise translation, but opens 
up the possibility for great poetry. Ellis avoids the pitfalls of academic 
translation and presents a book both moving and spiritual, and since 
the book is printed to permanent paper standards it should last for 
centuries, like papyrus in Egypt. Phanes Press publishes books on 
a wide range of Western spiritual and philosophical traditions, and 
their catalog is available on request. (227 pp. tpb)(Guest review by 
Geof Huth) 


kkk 

Richard Balkin, A WRITER’S GUIDE TO CONTRACT NEGOTIA- 
TIONS ($11.95 + $3.00 S&H from Writer’s Digest Books, 1507 Dana 
Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45207. Visa & Mastercard orders: 1-800-289- 
0963) ISBN 0-89879-360-2. This is another in Writer's Digest 
“do-it-yourself” series, and should be required reading for anyone 
who is close to selling a piece to a major magazine or to getting a 
book published. The first three chapters are the meat of the book 
and cover in explicit (but very readable) detail, “Magazine Agree- 
ments,” “Trade Book Contracts” (i.e., the great American novel or 
major works of non-fiction), and “Contracts of Specialized Book 
Publishers.” A later chapter on negotiating technique has a little bit 
of good stuff, but is mostly homilies (“know the ground rules, 
remain self-confident,” etc.) and a final one on agents and lawyers 
seems like an afterthought. 

The magazine agreement does not generally involve much in the 
way of negotiations, but Balkin clearly shows what the writer should 
do (and why) to protect his rights and avoid misunderstandings in 
his acceptance letter. An sample letter is included 

The book chapter goes through publishing contracts section by 
section, showing what to avoid, phrases that should be lined out, 
and items that ought to be added. A lot of detail is presented, right 
on down to how many free copies the author is entitled to. Happily, 
everything remains very readable, even when covering such topics 
as option and termination clauses. Also discussed are what things 
are not negotiable, such as the list of rights that the publisher buys 
when he takes a book. Balkin presents the rationale for almost 
everything he recommends, which helps to hold the interest. (156 
pp: pb) (Guest review by F.C. Gunderloy, Jr.) 


tk kkk 

Shaunt Basmajian, BIASED ANALOGIES ($7.95 from Sober 
Minute Press, PO Box 822, Adelaide St. PO, Toronto, ONT, M5C 
2K1, CANADA): These days Basmajian is publishing very experimen- 
tal stuff [see next review], but this 1987 collection spans years of 
writing more traditional poetry. These are works in the grand poetic 
tradition of holding a mirror up to society and saying “See what 
jerks you're being?”, though there’s a fairly strong Canadian content 
which sets them apart from much of what I see. There are also 
grumbles about the tough life of the poet and small press person 
in general. From “(Back to) The Ego”: “your old friend the 
ego/salvation and a smile/the poet's last resort” (56 pp. tpb) 


kkk 





114 Books 


Sha(u)nt Basmajian & brian david j(o(h)n)ston (eds.), bfp(h)aGe 
($7.95 from Sober Minute Press, PO Box 822, Adelaide St. PO, 
Toronto, ONT, M5C 2Ki, CANADA): Subtitled “An Anthology of 
Visual Poetry and Collage”, this one shows off its chosen subject 
to good advantage. It opens with bpNichol’s “The Legend of the 
Wirdie Bird”, a playful melding of typographic forms with substance. 
I quite enjoyed the elephant which snuck into the final page of this 
poem-series. Greg Evason follows with a variety of work which is 
more on the art side than the word one, while jwcurrry comes at 
this from the other direction (his first piece, an “A” being eaten by 
—what else?—ants is quite amusing. Daniel F. Bradley contributes 
a selection of collage in which words play a minor role, followed 
by editor j(o(h)n)ston seems quite enamored of parentheses. 
Basmajian closes it off with a selection of visual poems. If you want 
to get some idea of the scope of today’s experioddica, this would 
be a good place to start. (64pp. tpb) 


kkkkk 

Georges Bataille) THE DEAD MAN ($6 from Ediciones La 
Calavera, PO Box 85341, Las Vegas, NV 89185): Translated from the 
French, this pornoigraphic short story explores the relationship 
between sex and death...or, to be more precise, between death. and 
sex and death, as the story comes full circle in the end. The main 
character is the semi-anonymous Marie, who becomes distraught on 
the death of her lover (one presumes) and takes to a nearby bar 
for a night of drunken revelry, sketched out in enough sordid detail 
to titillate or upset as your tastes dictate. later she leads one of the 
celebrants back home for her shocking end. Overall, I found this 
more puzzling than enlightening or entertaining, but I suspect Bataille 
must have a following to get away with writing this sort of thing. 
Illustrated with psychotic woodcuts by Andy Masson. (40 pp. pb) 


kkkkk 

Alexander Berkman, WHAT IS COMMUNIST ANARCHISM? ($8 
from A Distribution, 396 Seventh St. #2, Jersey City, NJ 07302): This 
is a basic introduction to the justification for communist anarchism 
which reads as well today (except for minor matters like assuming 
the reader knows about the Mooney-Billings case) as it did when it 
was first published in 1929. Berkman writes for the working class, 
talking on a straightforward but not condescending level, and 
eschewing complicated political theory for concrete examples. Indeed, 
most of his argument simply consists of pointing out the failure of 
capitalism and government to answer the question posed by his first 
chapter title: “What Do You Want Out of Life?” He goes on to 
discuss how the system works, and then what is to be done about 
it. Examining the trade unions, reform politicians, the churches and 
socialism, he finds that none offer true hope to the working class. 
The closing five chapters here examine the Russian Revolution in 
great detail, explaining the Bolshevik betrayal of anarchist ideas and 
showing the distinction between anarchist communism and _ state 
communism by example. At this point the book closes, but a 
companion work, ABC OF ANARCHISM, (available from @ 


THE HIDDEN HANDICAPPED 
AMONG US 





FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Distribution for $5.50) goes on to examine the society that the 
communist anarchists propose in detail. A good introduction to 
anarchist ideas and still a valuable piece of propaganda for them. 
(117 pp. tpb) 
kkkkk 

Jake Berry, UNNON THEORIES ($5 from PO Box 17686, Phoenix, 
AZ 85011): Berry starts this off with the tone of an academic essay: 
“Any tactile response acknowledges, as intractable as it sounds, 
deliberate arbitration”. Such polysyllabic utterances fill the first few 
pages, but it soon becomes obvious that linear meaning is missing. 
Just as this becomes apparent, Berry abandons all pretense of formal 
jargon and slips into such utterances as “To suppose been, not an 
uneven, though frenzied, enough”, ending up with the likes of “Spg, 
drwl wedl drwl mansr fro brwnmr” as the book is drained of all 
linearity. Mustrated with drawings by the author. (D-52t) 


kkkkk 

Ken Bierly, OAHU: A PARADISE GUIDE ($11.95 + $2 sé&h from 
Paradise Publications, 8110 SW Wareham Circle, Portland, OR 97223): 
This is an excellent book, rich in local lore and completely up-to-date. 
Beginning with general information for anyone planning a trip, the 
major part of the book describes places to stay, places to eat, places 
to see, and what to do when not actually sleeping, eating, or 
sightseeing. Each heading is indexed separately; ignore the skimpy 
index in the back of the book. 

The reviews include information on prices, reservations, facilities, 
telephone numbers, the author's recommendations, each location’s 
claim to fame, and detailed breakdowns of your options. For instance, 
“Where to Stay” gives you what you need to know about hotels, 
condos, houses, bed & breakfast inns, hostels, the YMCA/YWCA, 
camping, and “miscellaneous”. You'll find the same attention to 
detail in descriptions of the $25-a-night Kobayashi Hotel or the 
$825-a-night Haleakala Villa. 

“Where to Eat” covers “shave ice” places, room service, drive-ins, 
dinner cruises, grocery stores, luaus, rural restaurants, and more, 
including establishments where the inexpensive meals start at fifty 
dollars per person. Pay close attention to the list of Hawaiian seafoods 
and the index to cuisine unique to Hawaii. 

The famous attractions get the usual treatment, but this book’s 
major strength is the attention paid to island residents’ (“locals”) 
favorite destinations. Island landmarks like Kemoo Farm or 
Arakawa’s do not have sufficient parking for tour buses and do not 
advertise in the tourist-oriented publications. Locally owned and 
operated, they depend on repeat business, and some of their 
customers and staff have been coming in for decades. 

The book also has a healthy dose of information on what locals 
like to do and where they like to do it. Read carefully; Shirokiya 
shows up under “Best Department Store” and “Where to Eat”, but 
not under “Places to See”. But this is a minor complaint; read the 
“Lounging” section to get the full flavor of the book, which 
encourages readers to talk with the locals (see the section on the 
Hawaiian language) and get to know them, a practice I heartily 
endorse. 

This book gets the important stuff right: the Stadium Mall 
has the only iceskating rink in town, and either the Honolulu 
International Airport or the Banyan Tree on Kalakaua are the 
best places to people-watch, but there is one place where I 
part company with the author. 

He recommends driving a rental car as the best way to 
get around. Outside of Honolulu, yes. Many visitors cruise 
between O’ahu landmarks with one hand on the steering wheel 
of their rented car and one hand on the map. Ignore the 
author’s recommended Bryan map; buy the Byer map if you 
are seeing Oahu outside of Honolulu AND buy the Palapala 
Aina Ho’omakaika’i map if you are driving on the freeway. 


Honolulu’s H-1 freeway is not for the faint of heart. 
On-ramps are carefully camouflaged; offramps are shoehorned 
into microscopic parcels of breath-takingly expensive Honolulu 
real estate. The contorted results are nothing like an 
interchange on the Mainland and do not even resemble each 
other. They are an artform unique to Oahu. And remember, 
Waikiki has got to be the most lively 617 acres on Earth, but 
it is not famous for copious parking. 

The author mentions some good safety tips, but he forgot 
to include the best one: every visitor to O’ahu should read 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


the Civil Defense information on pages 31A through 38A in the 
Honolulu phone book. The Hawaiian Islands are in earthquake, 
tsunami, and hurricane territory. 

A thick, chewy index is needed for this thick, chewy book. I 
have been visiting Hawaii since 1971 and living here since 1986, 


and when.I read this book I was surprised at how much I was 


missing. I’ve got my copy; if you are headed for O’ahu, buy your 
own copy and begin reading it now. (320 pp. tpb) (Guest review 
by Sidney E. “Dusty” Miller) 


tokok tok 

Mindy Bingham and Penelope Colville Paine, MY WAY SALLY, 
illustrated by Itoko Maeno ($13.95 from ADVOCACY PRESS, POB 
236, Santa Barbara, CA 93102): This is a delightful children’s book 
in more ways than one. Written with the ostensible purpose of 
encouraging children, but girls especially, to think of power and 
leadership as something which can be worthwhile as a means to 
accomplish beneficial goals, it is the story of a foxhound and a fox, 
the friendship between them and thinking about good ways of 
breaking bad rules. It is illuminated by wonderful watercolor 
illustrations, including a frontispiece with botanical sketches of 
English native plants. No age group listed, but most children will 
require some help with the vocabulary, which is okay, because this 
is a book intended for discussion. A good concept, charmingly 
executed. It also may have the distinction of being the first material 
for review in FF that comes with a recommendation from Her 
Majesty the Queen. (46 pp. hc, with dust jacket) (Guest review by 


» Carolyn MacDonald) 


kk kkk 

John Bryant, BRYANT’S LAW AND OTHER BROADSIDES (The 
Socratic Press, PO Box 66683, St. Petersburg Beach, FL 33736-6683): 
The subtitle to this one is “Recent Controversial Writings of John 
Bryant”. Bryant is an iconoclast, an individualist, or just a flaming 
egotistical asshole, depending on how you look at him (personally, 
I incline towards the middle of that spectrum). He apparently 
considers himself competent to write about most anything, and does 
so at the drop of an outrageous idea. 

There’s close to fifty essays here, plus a batch of verse (among 
his other accomplishments, Bryant considers himself an accomplished 
poet). The writing runs from colloquial to academic, with most pieces 
on the layman’s level. As for topics, well, perhaps it’s simplest to 
just touch a few bases to show the scope of this collection. “Does 
‘Prejudice’ Exist?” and the essays following it consider some thorny 
questions which politically correct folks would probably prefer to 
avoid. “Tough Problems/Easy Solutions: The Libertarian Remedy” is 
one of the best short summaries of the orthodox Libertarian theology 
that I’ve seen, as well as one of the most persuasive. “Liberalism, 
Conservatism and Related Labels: What Do They Mean?” attempts 
to make sense of what is perhaps a hopeless terminological tangle 
in these days when politics is more than just a matter of the party 
in power and the loyal opposition. “Adult-Child Sex: What's Wrong 
With It?” proves that Bryant is willing to tackle damned near any 
subject with more objectivity than most can muster. And one of my 
favorites, “A Skeptical View of The Skeptical Inquirer” takes that 
arch-skeptic journal to task for being too sure of itself. 

Some people will no doubt find the Bryant style to be offputting. 
It’s quite clear that he thinks some people are better than others 
and that he is one of the better ones in many senses—a notion 
which is surely as close to heresy as you can get today. But if you 
enjoy being provoked, about economics, sex, technology, poetry, 
politics and a dozen other topics, this is an excellent book to get 
hold of. (400 pp. tpb) 


tok Ok 

Brendan Conley, HOW TO WRITE AND PUBLISH AN UNDER- 
GROUND NEWSPAPER ($5 from Funhouse Mirror Communications, 
853 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. #203, Naples, FL 33963): Brendan is the 
man behind the high school underground FUNHOUSE MIRROR. 
Here he shares the way they do things with prospective publisher, 
in a quick, streamlined format. It’s sort of like an introduction to 
my own HOW TO PUBLISH A FANZINE, aimed at people who 
want to get something out right quick, on a small and local level. 
Mostly this would be useful for inspiring people, I think, and for 
showing that there are ways to tackle most of the hard stuff to 
publishing if you just take it one step at a time. It’s good to see 
this sort of entrepreneurship is still out there. (29 pp. perfect-bound) 


Kk tk 





Books 115 


Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby, MAKING YOUR MARK: THAT’S 

RKETING! ($7.95 from Beynch Press, 1928 SE Ladd Ave., 
Portland, OR 97214): This is one of Alyce’s “mega-mini” books, with 
a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 page size and plastic spiral binding so it can lay 
flat. Inside, there’s plenty of open space on every page—but not 
because she has nothing to say. Rather, it’s because everything has 
been condensed to the essentials. This is a marketing book for 
people who need to do marketing and don’t have time to read 
books; I ripped through it in under half an hour. 

However, I'll be coming back to it. You see, I just started working 
in a position with our local food Co-op that will involve me in 
efforts to improve our marketing. By the nature of our organization, 
much of the work will have to be shoehorned into other meetings 
with busy people. This book is perfect for this situation. Alyce reduces 
marketing to eight steps, oriented around the questions you need 
to ask yourself to do some marketing. From this, she shows how 
to best work with people like your graphic designer. This is not a 
book for someone who wants a lot of theory or ready-made solutions. 
It’s a kick in the seat of the pants for those who seriously want to 
proceed from their own insights. (M-74) 


tok tok 

Geoff Crowther and Hugh Finlay, MOROCCO, ALGERIA & 
TUNISIA: A TRAVEL SURVIVAL KIT ($13.95 from Lonely Planet 
Publications, Embarcadero West, 112 Linden St., Oakland, CA 94607): 
I have been an ardent fan of the Lonely Planet travel guide series 
for the past several years. This is because of Lonely Planet's view 
of what travel should ne and the high enjoyment level of their books. 
The philosophy of this publisher is to provide information about 
unusual regions and intact cultures that have not yet become 
homogenized despite the proliferation of media. Lonely Planet tacitly 
encourages a traveler to fully understand the past and present history 
of the country in question as well as its patterns of life. All of this 
background information enables the traveler to have some sense of 
where he or she is in relation to where he or she has just left. LP 
seems to loathe the whole “I’m bored—I want exotic people—in a 
strange land—to entertain us with their folkways.” LP believes the 
traveler needs to know more than “is the food good” or “what 
exciting things can I see there?” LP provides a fair amount of 
information regarding the history & government of Morocco, Algeria 
& Tunisia (the information on the Algerian War for Independence 
will be especially helpful to visitors of Algeria). However, I wish 
the guide would have included more information about issues 
affecting the people as well as any opposition movements or 
alternative currents brewing in the region. Those of you traveling 
in North Africa should know about two other excellent guides which 
are less in-depth than LP. These are Let’s Go’s SPAIN, PORTUGAL 
& MOROCCO and the British ROUGH GUIDE TO MOROCCO 
(which features an excellent overview of Morocco’s culture and 
reading list). There is little other information available on Tunisia or 
Algeria in English so anyone heading for these two countries would 
be wise to spring the $13.95 for LP’s guide. The vital information 
including excellent maps, inexpensive accommodation listings and 
transportation advice is all exhaustive. Suggestions for the truly 
adventurous are also included. For example, tips are given on how 
to buy a car in Europe and then drive it across Algeria’s Sahara 
Desert where you then head to West Africa where you sell the car 
and the profits pay for your trip! There is also extensive information 
on the Atlas Mountain region which will entice travelers who aren't 
put off by a remote unchanged primitive lifestyle. Another positive 
(and probably most important) point about the book is that it is a 
joy to read. The descriptions of the Moroccan royal cities of Fes 
and Mekres are so haunting & alluring that few won't dream romantic 
dreams of an idyll there. (419 pp. tpb)(Guest review by Andrea 
Bierwith) 

tk kkk 

Beverley Daurio (ed.), VIVID: STORIES BY 5 WOMEN ($9.95 
from Aya Press, PO Box 446, Stratford, ONT, N5A 6T3, CANADA): 
A collection of very short stories—19 in this slim volume—with a 
slant towards the experimental. Of the five women represented here, 
two stood out for me. Marg Wilson’s “Consider the Hollyhocks” is 
a rambling story of growing up, a young girl’s recollections all 
melded together to form a web of childhood, poignant in its sorrows. 
Pauline Careyy’s “Spit” is perhaps another interpretation of the same 
subject, although here it is the peer group rather than the parents 
that are responsible for the pain. 





116 


Of course, I may just be showing my own stodginess in admiring 
these two, as they are among the least experimental works in the 
book. More typical perhaps is Janet Howarth’s fragmented “Looking 
Down”, which begins “I don’t think a person should tell a story, 
or write a story either, with all the pieces that tie things together 
neatly stuck in, as if it flowed, in some way one might understand, 
from A to B.” She certainly follows her own advice. And Heather 
-Cadsby and Carol Malyon also seem to be looking for new structures, 
although the latter has a sort of clipped, enigmatic style which 
reminds me of some of the “New Wave” SF experiments from two 
decades ago. In any case, this is an interesting collection, 
well-packaged from a publisher who specializes in cutting-edge 
works. (104 pp. tpb) 


Lehahehetel 

James DeMeo, Ph.D., THE ORGONE ACCUMULATOR HAND- 
BOOK ($10.95 from Flatland, PO Box 2420, Fort Bragg, CA 
95437-2420): This book is a concise introduction to the theory and 
practice of orgone energy research, as originally developed by 
Wilhelm Reich. Let me start off by saying that I am appalled by 
the suppression of Reich’s research results, and if you don’t know 
that story—about book-burnings and imprisonment for heresy in 
1957—you should find out about it. 

That aside, though, I fear that DeMeo’s book has all the signs 
of being utter crap, the chief being that he, and every other 
anti-Establishment scientist, is always right, while all of modern 
physics, biology, and medicine is utterly wrong. DeMeo endorses 
such things as the luminferous aether, Benveniste’s discredited 
homeopathic experiments, and biological transmutation, as well as 
everything Reich had to say about the generation of life from 
non-organic sources and the visibility of orgone in clear skies and 
dark rooms. A few controversial claims I could perhaps believe, but 
this chip-on-the-shoulder attitude towards all of science stretches 
credibility too far. 

To DeMeo’s credit, he does give detailed instructions for building 
at least some of the experimental apparatus he discusses, and 
suggests some experiments. Of course, they won’t work in the 
presence of such Bad Things as televisions, fluorescent lights, 
microwave ovens, or computers, which makes it very difficult for 
most of us to repeat the experiments. 

I don’t mean to be too scornful of this book. But it simply does 
not exist in the same universe that I do. (155 pp. tpb) 


kkkkk 

Eknath Easwaran, THE COMPASSIONATE UNIVERSE ($12 from 
Nilgiri Press, PO Box 477, Petaluma, CA 94953): This book attempts 
an ambitious program: the application of ancient spiritual principles 
to the modern industrial/ecological crisis. Easwaran learned to 
appreciate the classics of mysticism and the power of meditation by 
studying with Gandhi, and has since taught these things in the 
United States. Here he argues strongly that there is an alternative 
to a life of meaningless consumption: one of understanding and 
oneness, of giving and living. He offers some simple suggestions 
(vegetarianism, carpooling, and so on—nothing utterly revolutionary) 
for ways in which a single person can make a difference. Beyond 
that, though, he plugs a more mystical way to make a difference, 
that of daily meditation on a great spiritual text. Here he runs 





die ieee 
gy Zs 


© yey LAUGH Now. - 


Books 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


through one of St. Francis’s prayers, considering it in the light of 
the modern situation, and finding it very appropriate. By learning 
to love everyone, Easwaran says, we can save ourselves. He may 
be right, and he’s certainly inspirational. (208 pp. tpb) 


kkkkk 

Arthur Evans, WITCHCRAFT AND THE GAY COUNTERCUL- 
TURE ($11 from FR Publications, PO Box 331, Boston, MA 02215): 
This is a work of alternative history. Evans attempts to uncover the 
hidden gay history which, he argues, is cloaked behind many 
accusations of witchcraft. By properly selecting his sources, starting 
with the records of Joan of Arc’s trial, he builds a convincing 
case—certainly this is at least as solid as many PhD theses in history. 
But Evans doesn’t stop there. Gradually, he builds his argument 
about repression of gays in history into a thorough critique of the 
modern European power structure and its most evolved form in 
America. The final chapter, “Magic and Revolution”, is nothing less 
than a call to overthrow this structure, recognizing the common 
ground between gays and many other repressed groups in the hope 
of building a new and better society. A solid work, even though 
it’s on the fringes of academic respectability. (180 pp tpb) 


kk kkk 

oscelyn Godwin (ed.), MICHAEL MAIER’S ATALANTA 

GIENS: AN EDITION OF THE EMBLEMS, FUGUES AND 
EPIGRAMS ($26 from Phanes Press, 252 State St.. SE, Grand Rapids, 
MI 49503): This is a fascinating book, and one which I wish I had 
the depth and time to really savor and appreciate. Maier was an 
alchemist who published this work in 1617; this edition is newly 
translated from the Latin by Godwin (whose book on Fludd I greatly 
enjoyed some years ago) and with an introductory essay by 
Hiildemarie Streich, a Jungian analyst and musicologist. Streich is 
excellently qualified to analyze this work, since it is one of the most 
densely-populated multimedia thickets of symbolism I have yet 
encountered. Maier structures his discussion of the alchemical art 
into fifty parts, each with a copper-plate me ai an epigram (in 
Latin and German in the original) and a fugue for three voices, 
representing Atalanta, Hippomenes, and the golden apples he threw 
to slow her down in their mythological race. In addition, the book 
includes a coupon for a free copy of a cassette tape of an English 
early music group singing the fugues, which is haunting and 
delightful in its own right, if an imperfect example of the art of the 
fugue (since musical considerations are subjugated to pedagogical 
ones in places). 

Maier had some rather advanced ideas about education, in light 
of the current favor for interactive videodisks and other high-tech 
means of providing a total educational environment. Speaking of 
the combination of fugues (for the ears), plates (for the eyes) and 
epigrammatic verses, he says in his introduction “if it is first entrusted 
to the sense, there is no doubt that it should be transferred from 
the sense to the intellect, as through a portal.” The lessons themselves 
are densely packed with alchemical symbolism, apparently directed 
more at making the alchemist a better person than at actually making 
gold from lead (this, I understand, is the generally accepted 
interpretation of the more hermetic alchemical works these days). 
In any case, while not for the dabbler, the serious student will 
certainly appreciate this fine new edition (on acid-free paper) from 

Phanes. (215 pp. tpb & tape) 


khkkk 

Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie (ed.), THE PYTHAGOREAN SOUR- 
CEBOOK AND LIBRARY ($17 from Phanes Press, PO Box 6114, 
Grand Rapids, MI 49516): This is more of a reference work, or 
actually two reference works, than it is bedtime reading (although 
in fact I did get fascinated and drag it to bed more than once). 
Even the construction—acid-free paper, Smyth-sewn binding—tes- 
tifies to its hopes for long-term usage. And the contents will 
encourage this as well. 

The SOURCEBOOK section has four separate Lives of 
Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher, written at various removes 
from his actual life. These are fascinating in what they agree on 
and in what seem to be additions to the story as the man became 
more venerated. It’s surprising how inspiring this life is even 
~~ ae) parameters of being a great man have not changed all 

at much. 


lL The LIBRARY is a collection of Pythagorean writings by dozens- 


of the followers of his school. This ranges from moral precepts 
to preambles for systems of laws, geometry to music, analyses 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 Books 117 


of concepts like “prudence” to the idea of fraternal love. Serious 
philosophers and workers in the various schools of Gnostic 
knowledge still remaining will appreciate this section. Others can 
find brief inspiration simply by browsing, skipping the chewy sections 
and investigating the apothegms. 

I didn’t know much about Pythagoras when I started this book. 
Now I know more—and I want to know even more, a sure sign 
that it caught my interest. If you're in the mood for a contemplative, 
challenging work, this deserves a try. (361 pp. tpb) 


kk kkk 


HANUMAN BOOKS 


Pocket-sized books which are put out by Raymond Foye Editions. 
They’re made in India, and feature sewn bindings and colored dust 
jackets with the title stamped in gold, although they are only about 
two inches by four. They’re only sold in sets of six books, so if 
any of these interest you, get hold of their catalog ($1 should cover 
it, to PO Box 1070, Old Chelsea Stn., New York, NY 10013-0905) 
so you can see which other books are in the set you want. Or just 
send $25 for a set of six, specify which book you want, and take 
your chances on the other five. 

Gregory Corso, MIND FIELD: This small book of recent poems 
by Corso only emphasizes the limits of his imagination. He continues 
to write (only with less vigor and urgency) the poems of two decades 


ago. Conversational and easy-going, his poems are simple little | 


clarities, devoid of anything that would bring a reader back to the 
book. (56 pp.)(Guest review by Geof Huth) 

Rene Daumal, THE LIE OF THE TRUTH: (The complete title of 
this mini-booklet ends with “and other parables from The Way of 
Liberation”, and two other parables fill out this book. The parables 
are quirky little originalities, and that is their attraction. The 
unroundness of mathematics (the lie of the truth) keeps the world 
from disappearing in a fifty-page book you can hide behind a single 
hand. (44 pp.)(Guest review by Geof Huth) 

Elaine Equi, VIEWS WITHOUT ROOMS: Quiet, subtle poetry 
that is almost stingy with its words. Equi writes the barest sketches 
of feelings but somehow packs a lot in. “Evolution”, for example, 
captures all of human history in 20 well-chosen words. The style 
seems appropriate for the small intimate pages here. (46 pp.) 

Various authors, FIRBANKIANA: Ronald Firbank was an author 
who flourished in England in the early years of this century, writing 
Impressionist novels. He was also a true English eccentric, given to 
sitting upside-down in theatres, eating strange meals of champagne 
and peaches, and darting away from human contact. This book is 
a series of short reminiscences of Firbank, collected from the works 
of Sewell Stokes, Aldous Huxley, Lord Berners, and many others. 
Firbank reminds me a bit of some of the more flamboyant artists 
on the current margins—except that he apparently had immensely 
more style than the current crop. (97 pp.) 


kakkk 

Judson Jerome, ed., POET’S MARKET ($18.95 from F&W 
Publications, 1507 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45207): This 
hardcover is compiled yearly by Jud for Writer's Digests Books. It’s 
a comprehensive index of publications, large and small, that publish 
poetry. In addition, there’s information on Contests, Awards, Writing 
Colonies, etc. and a handful or two of invaluable advice & 
information on the mechanics of marketing poetry. 

Each publication is described in concise detail by Jud (usually 
with some words from the editor) then pigeon-holed into at least 1 
of 5 categories. Four of these categories are based on a continuum 
from novice to insider, the remaining category identifying “special 
topic” publications. From the descriptions at the beginning of the 
book, writers can determine their category, then proceed through 
the listings to find potential markets; and there’s a geographical 
cross-index for those seeking to publish in a particular locale. 

This is a slick, well-conceived, and easy-to-use index. The price 
may seem steep for some small press folks, but with the potential 
savings in postage it’s a worthwhile consideration—imagine eliminat- 
ing those costly games of Rubber Manuscript. If nothing else, 
persuade your librarians to get this one on their shelves and keep 
it there. (515 pp. hc)(Guest review by PJ Bellomo) 

kkkkk 

Crad Kilodney, EXCREMENT ($8 from PO Box 281, Stn. S, 
Toronto, ONT, M5M 4L7, CANADA): Crad may be the only author 
in the world who supports himself by selling books on the street, 





day in, day out—and he’s been doing so for twenty years. This is 
an autobiographical work which gives some insight into what the 
job is like. Mostly, it’s about people—both the ones intertwined with 
Crad’s own life and the ones who pass him on the street, mostly 
as part of an uncaring herd. A couple of love affairs flare and sputter 
out. The books sell well some days and poorly a lot of the time. 
The panorama of street life—winos, panhandlers, hookers, crazies— 
passes by, and Crad gets it all down. 

This is not as absurdly funny as some of Crad’s more recent 
books (see FF33 for a review of two of them). But it is fascinating, 
in its subject matter and in its bluntness. Crad takes the scalpel to 
his own life and lays it open for all to see, bluntly listing the 
drawbacks of his freedom as well as the advantages. (88 pp. tpb) 


tok kkk 

R.A. Lafferty, SINDBAD: THE 13TH VOYAGE ($9.95 from 
Broken Mirrors Press, PO Box 473, Cambridge, MA 02238): A 
brand-new novel from Lafferty, an acknowledged master of science 
fiction. Well, anyways, the genre is as much science fiction as 
anything, though (as always) the style is marvelously digressive and 
partakes of fantasy and historical romance as well. 

In this work, Lafferty follows Sindbad_ in his hunt for the 
mysterious Caliph Harun Al-Rashid. So far, straight ARABIAN 
NIGHTS stuff—but it proves that this Sindbad is a master spy from 
a faraway planet, that Scherazade is a time-traveler from the 
American Midwest, and so on. To top it off, there is a false Sindbad 
who switches identities with the real one, animated robots and ships, 
demons, heroes, battles, and much more. 

It's a charming work, and one with a lot of depth. Don’t ex 
to get it all on the first reading—indeed, trying to “get” a Lafferty 
work is usually a mistake. I recommend instead enjoying it by 
immersion, exploring the wild world of past/future/Mideast displayed 
here. (158 pp. tpb) 

kkkkk 

Ted Nace & Michael Gardner, LASERJET UNLIMITED (Edition 
11)($24.95 plus $3 s&h from Peachpit Press, Inc., 1085 Keith Ave., 
Berkeley, CA 94708): From where I sit, it’s obvious that computers 
are moving, slowly but steadily, into fanzine publishing. Not only 
do I see more computerized zines, but I get more phone calls and 
letters requesting help. And at the tip of this wedge come the folks 
with enough money and technical savvy to pick up a laser printer. 
If it’s a LaserJet, this book should be part of the purchase. 

Nace and Gardner cover all the LaserJets up to the Model ID 
(but not the newer IIP). They start with the basics, explaining how 
the printers work and how to use the control panel, in a more lucid 
fashion than the official HP manuals manage. Part II is on word 
processing, detailing how to set 5 major programs up to make good 
use of a LaserJet, and addressing such issues as merging text and 
graphics. Similar sections do the same for graphics programs, 
spreadsheets and desktop publishing. Part VI is devoted to fonts, 
and Part VII discusses special topics. These are some of the most 
useful pages, pulling together information on the arcane art of 
programming in PCL (and without buying HP’s expensive technical 
reference manual), printing envelopes, doing screen snapshots or 
using a computer that’s not IBM compatible. The main part of the 
book concludes by looking at various hardware add-ons, and an 


"Something origi- 
nal, something 
entertaining, & 
something not bound 
by the conventions 
of good taste." 
Toxic Horror 


"Puts the punk 
back in Splatter- 
punk." 

Rave Reviews 


"The prose equivilent 
of R. Crumb and S. © 
Clay Wilson stoned 
on evil speed and 
sterno." Hakim Bey 


"There's some 
ugly imaginations 
behind this one." 
Fact Sheet Five 


"Striking and 
original." 
Pub. Weekly 


253 pp. novel. Five dollars from Thom Metzger 
Box 25193 Rochester, NY 14625 





118 ; Books 


appendix has extensive Q&A information to solve most common 
problems immediately. 

Nace and Gardner obviously know what they’re doing, since 
they produced the book itself on a souped-up LaserJet. More 
importantly, they know how to write as well as how to program, 
and their clear explanations will help almost any user. There’s only 
a few holes here—as with other Peachpit books, they’re not good 
at identifying low-cost solutions—but overall, I find this to be an 
essential reference in my own use of this printer. (512 pp. tpb) 


kkkkk 

Glenda Tennant Neff (ed.), 1990 WRITER’S MARKET ($23.95 
from Writer’s Digest Books, 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207): 
For years the annual edition of the WRITER'S MARKET has been 
an indispensable tool for me as a writer. This year, it lists 4000 
buyers of freelance material, ranging from markets for short stories 
and novels to greeting cards and screenplays. 

The best thing about the WRITER’S MARKET is that although 
you may think that only a small section of this hefty volume will 
aid your writing endeavors (for example, there are just eighteen 
pages of literary magazine markets), the numerous articles scattered 
throughout the book are miniature writing courses in themselves. 
There is “The Business of Writing” which covers in detail things 
like manuscript preparations, marketing and copyright. “Since You 
Asked...Questions About Writing and Publishing”, by the editor, 
answers twenty of the most frequently asked questions about writing 
and publishing. Fifteen editors and publishers of diverse magazines 
participate in “Close-Up”” interviews where they are given a chance 
to clarify what they are looking for from freelance writers and what 
they feel their publications are about. 

In addition, this year there is a special feature called the Writers’ 
Roundtable where three full-time writers respond individually to 
common business problems—such as late payments, simultaneous 
submissions and erratic funds—and share techniques freelancers can 
use to solve them. There is also a special feature on First Novelists, 
where six writers discuss their novels from writing to promotion 
and supply tips on how to avoid pitfalls of publishing a book 
(especially with a large commercial publishing company) for the first 
time. 

Since last year’s WRITER’S MARKET, there have been 800 new 
listings, and 85% of the material has been updated. I don’t know 
how pertinent that may be to the relatively small section of markets 
the reader may actually be using, but the articles themselves are 
worth the expense of getting a new edition. They contain thoughtful, 
sensitive and unselfish information and pointers from published 
writers. The WRITER’S MARKET will rapidly become a writer's 
bible, something you can dip into from which you'll always come 
up with something practical and maybe even a little bit inspiring. 

Bear in mind though that a lot of the markets in this book aren't 
going to apply to you—if you're a novel writer, you'll find that 
there is a considerably larger section on markets for trade and 
technical journals. To make up for this, there is also a long list of 
author’s agents and writing contests. 

Where applicable, each of the listings include the magazine’s or 
publisher’s address, the contact editor's name, a phone number or 
FAX number, the size of the market, copyright information, 
readership, rights purchased, submission requirements, reporting 
time, rules for writer's guidelines, types of manuscripts needed, 
submissions information, word length, payment rates and tips from 
the editors on what they prefer to get in the mail. 

The WRITER’S MARKET is in its 61st year and still going strong. 
My only disappointment with it is that it doesn’t have a wider listing 
of fiction markets, and its listing of poetry markets is minimal, but 
then that’s because Writer's Digest puts out annual volumes of 
POETRY MARKETS and FICTION MARKETS as well. Rather than 
buying all three, however, you’d probably be better off checking 
them out first and seeing which would be most helpful to you as 
a writer—the POETRY MARKETS, for example, actually reprints a 
few stanzas in each listing of a poem that magazine has bought 
and which the editor feels is in some way representative of the 
quality and style of work they purchase. 

One warning about the WRITER’S MARKET is that is sometimes 
seems an overwhelming then to open and read through, because 
there are so many markets and so much information is packed into 
the paragraphs about each one. You could easily end up sitting for 
hours, writing queries and licking stamps to paste on self-addressed 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


stamped envelopes, when you’d only intended to peek at one 
possible market. 

By the end of the year, I find that my copy of this book has 
been well-thumbed, the pages bursting with notes and scribbles. 
The WRITER’S MARKET is well-researched; most of the markets 
they list don’t go out of print as quickly as you’d imagine, so you 
rarely get the annoyance of having a manuscript returned without 
any forwarding address. The information that is given is clear and 
concise, and it is presented in such a way that it will benefit both 
aspiring and seasoned writers. (1056 pp. hc) (Guest review by Evelyn 
Lau) ‘ 


kk kkk 

John Noble, Dan Spitzer, and Scott Wayne, MEXICO: A TRAVEL 
SURVIVAL KIT ($17.95 from Lonely Planet, Embarcadero West, 112 
Linden St., Oakland, CA 94607): Lonely Planet guidebooks offer the 
practical traveler phrasebooks, trekking guides, “shoestring” guides 
for low budget travel, and “travel survival kits” which cover a single 
country for a range of budgets. The guidebooks cover most accesible 
parts of the Earth and are renowned for their usefulness 

This volume is co-authored by three experienced travel writers. 
Nearly a thousand towns, beaches, parks, and archeological sites 
are described. Larger and more interesting places usually receive 
more coverage. The authors provide information on where to sleep, 
tips on restaurants, points of interest, and travel access to each site. 
A hundred single-page (or smaller) maps complement a few color 
photos and the occasional graphic. 

A one hundred page introductory section gives general facts 
about the country’s history, ecology, culture, and religion . Tips on 
working, camping, shopping, and generally existing in Mexico are 
abundant. There are even a few pages about beer and tequila; Salt, 
Lemon, Tequila, Salt is the “proper” way to do tequila and you 
should eat the worm fried. Language coverage is limited to a half 
dozen pages of bare bone phrases like “My car has broken down!” 

This survival kit should prove invaluable to anyone contemplating 
an extended trip to Mexico but most armchair travelers and many 
planning only short-term stays would probably enjoy Carl Franz’s 
THE PEOPLE’S GUIDE TO MEXICO ($10.50 from John Muir 
Publications in Santa Fe, New Mexico) much more. It is much more 
fun, has a richer vocabulary and offers a more tangible “feel” of 
what it is like to be in Mexico than the Lonely Planet book. (940 
pp. tpb) (Guest review by Dave Kolasa) 


took 

Kirk Polking (Ed.), THE WRITER’S FRIENDLY LEGAL GUIDE 
($16.95 + 3.00 S&H from Writer’s Digest Books, 1507 Dana Ave., 
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207. Visa and Mastercard orders: 1-800-543-4644; 
in Ohio: 1-800-551-0884) ISBN: 0-89879-373-4 This is one of Writer's 
Digest’s series of reference works, edited by the lady who directs 
the Writer’s Digest School, and who has edited a number of their 
other reference works. 

There are fifteen chapters in this book, most of them written by 
lawyers (citing all sorts of applicable cases), so the going gets a 
little tedious at times (e.g., “As comforting as Middlebrook, Wheeler, 
and Springer maybe to authors, lawyers are wary of relying on 
them as a fail-safe counterweight to Brindim.) Fortunately, you can 
get the meat out of this book in less than an hour, and then come 
back to it later whenever you want it for a reference. Each chapter 
starts with a half-page list of the items to be discussed and ends 
with a half to one page review in the form of a factual checklist 
that tells you what you should have learned. Instant smarts: it’s 
great. 

Topics covered (some in more than one chapter) are freedom of 
the press, invasion of privacy, libel in fact and fiction, pornograpy, 
photography, copyrights, protecting ideas in Hollywood, contracts, 
taxes, and the author's estate. There is a quick info finder in the 
front and an index in the back, along with a glossary of the pertinent 
legalese. All in all, a very handy little package. (192 pp. hc)(Guest 
review by F.C. Gunderloy, Jr.) 


took tok 

REAL GOODS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCEBOOK 1990 
($10 from-966 Mazzoni Ln., Ukiah, CA 95482): I've mentioned this 
annual in the past, but it just keeps getting better, so it’s time to 
buy it again. Real Goods sells all sorts of renewable energy resources, 
from solar panels to wood-fired water heaters to windmills to pumps 
to...well, twelve-volt duck pluckers. In part, this is their catalog, but 
it's also much more. That’s because about a third of the bulk is 


wea? 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


careful explanations of things like how to size a PV system, the 
various choices for water pumping, the pluses and minuses of 
compact fluorescent bulbs, and so on. The result is a valuable 
reference work for anyone concerned with energy independence, 
whether they buy from Real Goods or not. (Of course, since Real 
Goods will match or beat prices on most items, there’s little reason 
not to shop with them). And to top it all off, the purchase price is 
refundable on your first $100 order. The bottom line is that if you’re 
considering a solar system, a waterwheel, a windmill or similar 
technologies, you need this book. (320pp. tpb) 


kKkkkk 

Chuck Shepherd, John J. Kohut, & Roland Sweet, NEWS OF 
THE WEIRD ($6.95 + $1.50 p&h from Plume, New American Library, 
PO Box 999, Bergenfield, NJ 07621): Chuck Shepherd has been 
collecting off-the-wall news stories for over a decade now. For most 
of that time he reprinted the stories—taken strictly from mainstream 
newspapers, not tabloids—in his low-publicity VIEW FROM THE 
LEDGE, which was so undercover that he refused to permit a review 
in FF. Lately, however, this collection has grown and so has Chuck’s 
public profile. VFTL has gone public,.excerpts from it are a nationally 
syndicated column, and now this book—with fellow weird-hunters 
Kohut and Sweet—is out on a major publisher. 

It’s a great collection and (thanks to the fact that it’s made up 
of hundreds of one-paragraph stories) perfect bathroom reading. No 
matter how you look at it, this is one strange world we live in, 
and the people are the strangest of all. The clippings are divided 
into dozens of categories from “Medical Milestones” to “Sex Is Its 
Own Punishment”. Just as a teaser, I’ll leave you with one short 
item from the book: 

“An Alaskan assemblyman introduced a bill to punish ‘public 
flatulence, crepitation, gaseous emission, and miasmic effluence,’ 
carrying a penalty of $100.” (162pp tpb) 

kk kkk 

Rev. Ivan Stang, THREE-FISTED TALES OF “BOB” ($10.95 list 
from Fireside Books; ISBN 0-671-67190-1): I’m not sure what the 
public is going to make of this book, but to the SubGenius in the 
know it’s a lot of fun. What we have here is a collection of adventure 
stories set in the world of SubGenius mythology and practice, rife 
with mentions of the pipe-smoking savior and loaded with in-jokes. 
Stang has managed to round up pieces from a lot of big names; 
contributors include William S. Burroughs, Robert Anton Wilson, 
Lewis Shiner and John Shirley, as well as a clench of SubGeniod 
bigwigs like Stang, Guy Deuel, Puzzling Evidence and Janor 
Hypercleats. 

The writing itself is a very mixed bag. One of the best bits is 
G. Gordon Gordon’s “The Vreedeez Sanction”, an action-loaded 
escapade featuring high espionage and secret weapons in a bizarre 
cyberpunk future. Robert Anton Wilson contributes more heavily- 
footnoted conspiracy theory in “The Horror on Howth Hill” (indeed, 
most of the writers here are off on their own kicks as well as 
SubGeniod ones; this reaches absurdity in “"OPENQUOTEBob” and 
the Oxygen Wars” by Waves Forest, which is simply an excuse to 
preach his own brand of pseudoscience once again) while Harry S. 
Robins provides an excellent Lovecraft pastiche in “The Smoker From 
the Shadows”. 

The verdict? If you’re a SubGenius, go for it. If you're a Pink, 
go for it anyhow; you'll think you “get” it and the Church can use 
your money. Fans of other fringes, notably cyberpunk, should 
consider checking this out as well. But if you're perfectly normal, 
go watch the cartoons instead. (343 pp. tpb) 


kkkkk 

Gayl Teller, AT THE INTERSECTION OF EVERYTHING YOU 
HAVE EVER LOVED ($10 from San Diego Poet's Press, PO Box 
8630, La Jolla, CA 92038): Teller’s work resists characterization 
because of her flexibility—now a big idea, now a home vignette, 
now long lines, now a zig-zag form down the page. Through it all 
here is a voice of exploration and wonder, able to find things to 
write about in a dinner being made or the end of a Jewish life or 
the structure of the universe. Her portraits of tangled emotional 
family lives are done with surgical skill, encapsulating all the past 
interactions between people into just a few lines. Strong and simple 
works worth reading. (106 pp. tpb) 


kkk 


TimoThy Traquair, THE ALTERNATIVE LAND ACQUISITION 
HANDBOOK ($20 from Ridgehaven, PO Box 849, Glen Ellen, CA 


Books 119 


95442): The Homestead Act is now defunct. However, there are still 
ways to get a piece of land in this country short of finding the 
owner and buying it. As the author points out, “This is the hard 
way. The easy way is to whip out your check book and buy it.” 
But a lot of us don’t have that much in the checking account, and 
so creativity is in order. TimoThy has come up with half a dozen 
legal ways to get land, mostly rural, without buying it from the 
current owner. The two he gives the most space to are mining 
claims and tax delinquent properties, but all six are discussed in 
enough detail to be practical for the adventurous. Make no mistake, 
you're not going to get downtown L.A. for free. But you might get 
40 acres up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, which sounds like 
a better deal to me anyhow. Don’t buy this unless you’re really 
serious; you're paying for information and research time, not sheer 
number of pages. But if you are serious, it’s a bargain. (98 pp. tpb) 


kk kkk 

Frank Van Keeken, THE COLLECTED STORIES OF AUGUST 
CASTILLE ($6.95 from Mangajin, PO Box 617, Stn. R, Toronto, ONT 
M4G 4E1, CANADA): Van Keeken is a standup comic, and these 
are some of his routines transferred on to the printed page, with 
illustrations from Louise Moon. Each piece here (13 in all) is quite 
short, just enough to build up to a punch and then on to the next 
thing. The Castille persona talks about people who have strange 
lives: a hole in one man’s head gets him into a circus where dogs 
jump through it, another man has to die and go to hell to get 
enough sleep. A few bits will strike many as blasphemous, especially 
“Stigmata Guy”, which ends with Chris becoming a washed-up 
alcoholic. Funny in an aggressive sort of way, with Moon’s 
illustrations being at least as amusing as Castille’s rants. (80 pp. 


tpb) 
kkkkk 

Rolf Vasellari, THE JUDASJESUS ($15 surface/$25 air from Black 
Sheep press, Zypressenstrasse 82, CH-8004 Zurich, SWITZERLAND): 
This one-shot anthology of works of poetry, drawing and photog- 
raphy is meant to examine the bifurcated psyche of humans: the 
evil Judas living in the same body with the good Jesus. The most 
unsatisfying aspect of the whole collection is how infrequently this 
topic is actually part of an included work. Most of the works have 
a roughness to them (in execution and worldview) that helps hold 
them together in a piece, but too much of it still comes off as 
unconsidered and too little concerned with the Jesus aspect of people. 
Vasellari attempts to stick to the topic himself, but he is nearly 
alone in this quest. Interesting are a couple of drawings and writing 
by Willem Dafoe, but only because he’s a well-known actor; the 
work itself is uninspired and unfinished. The real stand-outs in the 
book are the photo-montages of Richard Beymer: haunting and 
powerful, and resonating with after-shocks. (200 pp. tpb)(Guest 
review by Geof Huth) 


tok kkk 
Carl Watson, ANARCADIUM PAN ($4.95 from Erie Street Press, 
221 S. Clinton, Oak Park, IL 60302): A fat perfect-bound collection, 
split up into six chapbook-length sections. Carl seems to see the 
world as a seamless web, capturing images that bubble up from the 
subconscious and polishing them on to the page. This stuff demands 








Members of the medical profession, 
past and present, speak out against 
the futility of animal experiments. 


Compiled and introduced by Swiss 
medical historian Bans Ruesch. 
281 pages $19.95 


SPECIAL FF OFFER: 

send check for $22 and we’ll 
throw in a $15 subscription 
membership to HRs CIVIS REPORT 
and THE CIVIL ABOLITIONIST. 


CIVIS, Box 26FF, Swain NY 14884 








120 Books 


work to understand, but one message seems to be that the world 
is all a rather morbid joke: “One billion kind of spindle-headed 
queer creatures surround him/The too many cells of selves, whose 
voices a merry organ sound/Chew his corruptible self.” (120 pp. tpb) 


kkk 

Thomas Wiloch, TALES OF LORD SHANTIH ($10 from Unicorn 
Press, PO Box 3307, Greensboro, NC 27402): A lovely little book, 
printed on recycled heavy paper with handset type and handbound. 
The contents are fun too, a series of twenty “prose poems” about 
Lord Shantih (aka Siddhartha). I don’t know if these are traditional 
or inventions of Wiloch, but whichever, they have the proper teaching 
spirit, and are perfectly engimatic. (They remind me somewhat of 
the Nasrudin tales recorded by Idries Shah). The whole is illustrated 
with twenty simple woodbloc prints by David Nikias. An artistic 
book that rewards reading as well as looking. (D-45t) 


BOOK NOTES 

Books Are Everything (R.C. & Elwanda Holland, 302 Martin 
Dr., Richmond, KY 40475) sent me the catalogs for their current 
auction and sale of collectible paperbacks. You can get on their 
mailing list for five bucks; after that, continued bidding will keep 
you on. 

eBump in the Night Books (133-135 Elfreths Alley, Philadelphia, 
PA 19106) are “Specialists in imaginative fiction” whose catalog 
consists primarily of SF, horror and fantasy first editions. 

e@Dedalus Books (PO Box 9132, Hyattsville, MD 20781-0932) is 
a remainder house that caters to the intelligentsia. A request should 
get you their latest catalog. 

e@DREAMSHORE (PO Box 1387, Bloomington, IN 47402) is 
moving from fanzine to book publication. Their first will be 
STAR*TRIPS, a collection of columns expanded and connected, with 
additions, commentary, updates, reviews, etc. They'll focus on the 
sSeedy side of the New Age Movement, from Theosophy to Unarius. 
Not Hallelujah or sneering skepticism, but still criticial of New Age 
from an informed point of view. The book will be $7.50 when 
available. 

eChris Drumm Books (PO Box 445, Polk City, IA 50226) sells 
all manner of used and new SF paperbacks, as well as Chris’s own 
series of booklets with work by Lafferty and other SF greats. Send 
a buck to get on the mailing list. 

@Richard ord (PO Box 911, Newport, TN 37821) is selling reprints 
of various obscure works of Biblical exegesis, apocrypha, Tim leary, 
masonry and other goodies. You can get his catalog for a large 
SASE with 45¢ postage. 

eIntercultural Press (PO Box 700, Yarmouth, ME 04906) specializes 
in worldwide cultural studies, with the emphasis on what happens 
when different cultures meet. 

@LLEWELLYN NEW TIMES is essentially the catalog of Llewellyn 
Books, who print all sorts of New Age, magick, astrology, 
aromatherapy, and similar works. They’ve put out something over 
900 of these monthly write-ups, loaded with ads from all over the 
New Age map. You can get the latest for $2 from P Box 64383, St. 
Paul, MN 55164-0383. 

eLoompanics (PO Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368) got 
another catalog supplement out in time for the holidays, full of 
books like THE FINAL SECRET OF PEARL HARBOR and 
ADVANCED LOCK PICKING. It also reprints an article on squatting 
from LIFE IS FREE. A buck should land a copy. 

The Mackay Society (PO Box 131, Ansonia Stn., New York, 
NY 10023) has put out a catalog of the books they offer, chiefly 
anarchist and sexual liberation in nature. Send a couple of stamps 
to see a copy. 

e@David McClintock (PO Box 1949, Warren, OH 44482-1949) sells 
horror and science fiction rarities and collectors editions and just 
plain worthwhile reading by mail. Send 25¢ for his current catalog. 

@Mindset Press has two books of interest to fans of STAR TREK: 
THE NEXT GENERATION coming cut soon. THE 24TH CENTURY 
TECHNICAL MANUAL will feature 60 pages of behind-the-scenes 
and production material for $6.45, and SPINERISMS will be 90 
pages on the career of Brent Spiner, including his work before the 
show, for $12.95. You can order either one from Mindset at Box 
7000-822, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. 

®MYSTERY SALES LIST comes from Jeffrey Meyerson, 8801 
Shore Rd. #6A-East, Brooklyn, NY 11209. His 83rd list is just out, 
with almost 600 vintage mysteries for sale. Send a buck for a sample. 


= FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


eThe Omega Press (RD1 Box 1030E, New Lebanon, NY 
12125-9706) offers a variety-of books “for exploring the many. faces 
of spirit”. They’re especially strong in Sufi works. Their catalog 
should be available for free. 

eThe Penfield Press (215 Brown St., Iowa City, IA 52245) “is a 
small publisher featuring ethnic titles that include recipes”. Recent 
titles include POLISH-AMERICAN WAYS: RECIPES AND TRADI- 
TIONS and SCANDINAVIAN HOLIDAY RECIPES. 

ePopular Reality Press (1264 Creal Cres., Ann Arbor, MI 48103) 
is having a sale through March 31, including the Baboon Dooley 
book for only $6 and Jack Saunder’s FORTY for $4. 

e@SABOTAGE IN THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE is scheduled 
to be the next book from Pressure Drop Press (PO Box 460754, San 
Francisco, CA 94146). They’re looking for true stories of workplace 
sabotage, from large-scale theft to systems crashing to simple slacking 
off. Get in touch if you have something they might be able to use. 

eSimmer Pot Press (Rte 3 Box 973A, Boone, NC 28607) “is on 
the lookout for cookbooks in all categories to offer mail order 
customers in its upcoming drop ship catalogs”—as well as food 
letters, cooking magazines, and other food-related catalogs. Contact 
Hank Kellner for more information. 

eSouth End Press (116 St. Botolph St., Boston, MA 02115) carry 
“over 150 titles promoting social change”, including works by 
Bookchin and Chomsky. A buck ought to land their current catalog. 

®Spinsters/Aunt Lute (PO Box 410687, San Francisco, CA 94141) 
is a women’s press dedicated to publishing “strong voices by strong 
women”. Among other things, they’re the folks who published WHY 
CAN’T SHARON KOWALSKI COME HOME?. Unfortunately, 
they’re hurting for cash right now (books like this do not become 
bstsellers), so if you want to support a good feminist cause now 
would be a good time to send them a few bucks. 

eTiger Lily Books (PO Box 111, Piercy, CA 95467) is a mail-order 
source for all manner of children’s books, carefully selected, plus a 
few on other topics like pregnancy or finding time to write. Kathy 
Epling, who runs the business, also finds space for short essays on 
her life in the country, recipes for bread, and other good things. A 
very friendly catalog. which you can get just for the asking. 

@Water Row Books (PO Box 438, Sudbury, MA 01776) has their 
43rd catalog of beatnik and other books for sale available now. It 
lists and describes over 300 items with prices starting around $5. 

eWestern World Press (PO Box 366, Sun City, CA 92381) has 
issued a new edition of Max Stirner’s THE EGO & HIS OWN. $8.95 
postpaid, $9.50 in California. 

eMark V. Ziesing Book Catalog #84 is out, expanded to 8 1/2 
x 11 and with more commentary about books from outside writers 
than ever before. Mark is my main source for SF and other crazy 
books, and his thumbnail reviews in the catalog part make for great 
reading. If you’re a reader or collector, send him a buck for the 
current catalog. 


CALABOOSE 





ERNIE SHOWS BERT THAT 
HE'S ACTUALLY >A purreyT” 


Olin wweewse_ 








FACTSHEET FIVE #34 





I was pleased to see a review of Cookie Mueller’s book, FAN 
MAIL, FRANK LETTERS, AND CRANK CALLS in #33. 

I was a “casual acquaintance” of Cookie’s, chatting with her 
every so often at poetry readings & other cultural events in New 
York City. I was always amazed at first when she remembered who 
I ie Mae was truly delightful to talk to, and I enjoyed her writing 
as well. 

Sadly, she passed away on Nov. 10, 1989, due to AIDS 
complications. VILLAGE VOICE columnist Michael Musto said she 
“brought a bracing freshness and anti-intellectualism to her views 
on art, relationships, and society. Witty, iconoclastic Cookie[’s 
death]...is one pain that doesn’t make anyone feel good.” 

In your review of her book, you mentioned that she was known 
for starring in John Waters’s films. Among her many other 
accomplishments, she had a cool monthly column on art in DETAILS 
magazines. 

I’m enclosing a photo of Cookie (as a remembrance). I took it 
on January 1, 1989, at a special New Year's Day poetry reading in 
a NYC church, That night, she read a funny story called “Julie: The 
Mystery of Tap Water”, about a friend who went on a water diet, 
melted away, and was now coming out of sprinklers, water fountains, 
and even out of the faucet into Cookie’s own bathwater! 

That's how I'd like to remember Cookie herself—no longer a 
“mystery”, for she left a little bit of her exuberance with everyone 
she touched. But she didn’t dissipate into running water like her 
character Julie...more like ever-flowing sweetness. 

If any other fans of Cookie would like a color photo of her, I’ll 
send one for 40¢ & an SASE. 

Glen Venezio 
2315 Bayhead Dr. 
Parlin, NJ 08859-2423 


kkk kk 
I’m looking for bands to send me tapes containing songs about 
holidays (x-mas, new years, halloween, whatever). I’m making a 
compilation for Christmas next year (1990). I can use any and all 
styles of music, although I don’t really care for hardcore or heavy 
industrial stuff....Another thing, I don’t want any really well known 
groups or artists, just lonely backwoods starving, struggling, poor, 
and last but not least funny bands. 

Tony Mentzer 

clo The Space Station 

101 Sharon Rd. 

West Middlesex, PA 16159 


Kkkkk 

The correspondence about “offensive” covers interests me. 
Suppose we take this matter really seriously. Your first step has to 
be to estimate what proportion of your readership would be 
significantly offended by various visual elements in various 
categories: sexual, religious, political, and so on. A reader opinion 
poll would be necessary. 

Your next step newar f be to decide what degree of mass-offense 
is acceptable. One reader? Ten? A hundred? 


Letters 121 


Clearly, you have better things to do. And clearly, as soon as 
we start trying to make art conform to ideology, it becomes an 
exercise in folly—like trying to define “pornography”. 

It seems to me that if you edit and publish a magazine, you can 
put anything you damn well want on the cover; and if some people 
don’t like it, they don’t have to buy it. Period! You have no obligation 
to cater to the sensitivities of any special-interest group. If they 
don’t approve of your policies, let them go publish their own 
magazine. 

Maybe this sounds an insensitive, hardcore attitude, but I am 
sick of seeing pleas for censorship couched in morally self-righteous 
terms designed to make people feel guilty. It’s especially offensive 
when the people making the fuss are themselves involved in the 
arts in some way. 

Charles Platt 

/* Yes, I can publish whatever I want, and it’s up to readers to 
decide whether or not they want to support it. But I also have to 
cater to my own sensitivities. If I don’t think about what's going 
on the cover, I could publish something offensive to myself by 
mistake, and not realize the implications until someone else draws 
my attention to them. */ 


tok 

The letter is coming to you from the Texas Department of Criminal 
(in)Justice about a matter that concerns Texas prisoners, and that I 
hope also concerns the small publishers of newspapers, magazines 
and periodicals of general distribution in this country and other — 
countries. 

On 12-15-89 I was denied the right to mail a sealed letter c/o 
the Editor of FACTSHEET FIVE. I was informed by the prison 
bureaucrats that my letter did not meet the criteria as media 
correspondence. Since FACTSHEET FIVE is not listed in the Ayers 
Directory of Publications the administration denied your publication 
as a legitimate media source, even though they allow me to receive 
it into the institution through the mail. 

This censorship cannot be allowed to proceed according to the 
whims of the prison bureaucrats here in Texas, because access to 
the press gives the incarcerated person an opportunity to communi- 
cate with the general public. 

On Sept. 20, 1978, suit was brought by prison inmates here in 
Texas challenging the constitutionality of the correspondence rules 
and practices here in the Department of Corrections. This case 
(Guajardo v. Estelle, 580 F.2d 748) gave prisoners in Texas the right 
to send media mail unopened to the editorial or reporting staff of 
the press. Press is defined (in Saxbe v. Washington Post Co., 94 
S.Ct.2811) as follows: “A newspaper entitled to second class mailing 
privileges; a magazine or periodical of general distribution; a national 
or international news service; a radio or television network or 
station.” 

The constitutional validity of incarcerated persons to conduct 
inmate-press correspondence without censorship only if the form of 
media you wish to send your unopened letter to happens to be 
included on the system’s prior approval list (Ayers Directory of 
Publications) needs to be challenged. Why couldn’t The Progressive 
Periodicals Directory or Directory of Alternative and Radical 
Publications be used along with Ayers to verify legitimate publications 
and their editors? Could it be that prison bureaucrats only want 
prisoners to mail unopened inmate-press correspondence to those 
they approve of? This decision to interrupt the inmate-press 
communication process before any media correspondence can be 
mailed seems to be akin to a prior restraint. 

Small publishers and oppressed people of this world who are 
concerned about our Constitutional rights, please lend us Texas 
prisoners your support and write to the Mail Systems Coordinator 
Panel, PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX, 77340 and request that it stop 
the unlawful censorship of ihmate-press correspondence. Also protest 
the use of only the Ayers Directory of Publications to verify legitimate 
publications 

Thank you for your support. 

Michael P. Kelly #493005 
Box 16—Eastham Unit 
Lovelady, TX 75851 


kkk kk 
I am currently trying to assemble enough work to publish a small 
informal literary ‘zine. This ‘zine will be composed of very short 


122 Letters 


prose (less than 700 words), poetry, collage, art and opinion; in the 
tradition of, say, TWO-TON SANTA. 
Fido von Sydo 
PO Box 552 
Orono, ME 04473 


kkk 

I read with interest in the latest FF5 your action in solidarity 
with the Art Strike, and commend you for having taken a position. 
This package will be the last one you will receive from me for the 
next three years. And henceforth, I resign my position as FF5 
xerografist. 

Vis. my position towards the Art Strike: I quite simply could not 
stop producing in the literal sense of an Art Strike (and in any case 
I don’t think that this interpretation is the most useful). The 
commencement of the Art Strike on Jan. 1, 1990, and the period of 
time that it has delineated, is for me, more significant in that it 
allows opportunities for breaking with past patterns. Accordingly I 
will be making a number of “surgical strikes” on my present 
artmaking activities, coupled with a reorientation of my creative 
priorities. For me this idea of “reorientation” (or re-direction) is one 
of the strengths, and indeed, perhaps the most active and 
constructive element of the Art Strike. 

Stephen Perkins 


kakkk 
I’m sure a lot of blind men will be interested to learn that ”...men 
cannot have sex unless they are first aroused by the sight of the 
woman.” (Ace Backwords) 
R. Miller 


kkkkk 

According to the postmaster at Ellicott Station, Buffalo, NY, Hank 
Purcell Jr. (aka Lollipop Power Press) is now deceased. 

It is believed he died sometime around Thanksgiving. 

It is also believed that much of his correspondence may now be 
in police hands and that any mail addressed to him at his Ellicott 
Station PO Box may be seized by the postal authorities. 

A recent sting operation arouses this suspicion. 

Anonymous 


kk kkk 

Prisoners, organizations, publishers, businesses and free world 
people interested in being listed in the 1990 P.A.N.A.L. (Prisoners’ 
Anarchist Network At Large) Networking Directory should write us 
now and we will send you a listing form. This directory will list 
your networking interests, an item or service you offer, messages, 
ads, and lots of other good stuff. 

Attorneys, medical professionals, caseworkers, paralegals and 
people interested in prisoner volunteer work that wish to be active 
in P.A.N.A.L. are needed. Those seriously interested should write 
or call (after 5PM) Ted at (518)-383-0459. 

The P.A.N.A.L. founder has recently won a federal lawsuit against 
the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons on the legal mail policy (28 CFR 
Sec. 540.18 & 19). We would like to hear from all prisoners and 
law firms who have litigation pending on this issue. On December 
1, 1989, a federal court issued an injunction against the BOP on this 
case. Please send us copies of your litigation and we will do the 
same. 

Michael J. Stotts 
P.A.N.A.L. 

PO Box 4167 
Halfmoon, NY 12065 


Kak 

I do feel prompted to comment on pj’s review of “There can be 
gods” (FF33, p66). It states that Aya Katz is the editor of this 
collection, while as a matter of fact I am listed as editor. We were 
both surprised to see “gods” classified as a religious publication. 
After some reflection we understood how a superficial reader looking 
for catch-words might arrive at such a conclusion. Terms are 
sprinkled here and there, that are drawn from theological contexts. 
Biblical themes and settings are invoked by the Israeli writers, who 
consider them part of their historical heritage. Virtually all the 
contributors to “gods” are non-believers, and a closer reading would 
reveal that the subject matter is not religion at all. The terms “left” 
and “liberal” are similarly misplaced. 

Amnon Katz 


kkkkk 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


Thanks very much for the notice you gave LITERARY 
MAGAZINE REVIEW in FACTSHEET FIVE 32. On the strength of 
your recommendations we picked up a couple of single copy orders 
and I was able to use your paragraph to boost editorial staff morale 
and to correct a dean. 

Thanks almost as much for sending us a copy of FF 32. It has 
been circulating among the editors. All of us have admired its energy 
and the seriousness with which it was put together. We don’t keep 
up with the independent magazine scene as well as we'd like to, 
partly because independent editors don’t think to send us review 
copies and partly because we've been unable to find intelligent and 
informed reviewers (with Richard Peabody, who is mostly interested 
in British titles, the exception) to write disinterested omnibus notices 
of similar or associated periodicals. If you can steer anybody our 
way, please let me know. 

G.W. Clift 

KSU Dept. of English 
Denison Hall 
Manhattan, KS 66506 


kkkkk 
Your financial problem is simply due to the fact that you're too 
nice. Here you are, reviewing all these zines, many of which would 
never be seen by anyone if not for F5, and then you go and give 
out free issues in return! You're already doing us a favor! I think 
you should charge people who send you things to review, if they 
want to see that review, maybe about a dollar an issue. Just think, 
if everyone who sends you stuff got a 5-issue subscription for $5, 
you’d be making at least $4000 more yearly, I'd be willing to pay 
my share, and I bet lots of your other readers would too, unless 
they’re just greedy idiots. It might even help weed out some of the 
non-legitimate ones. 
Susan 
THE NOCTURNAL LYRIC 
/* This idea (or closely related ones, such as sending tearsheets 
instead of full magazines) has come up a number of times, and I'm 
still not fond of it. Considering the fanzine community as a whole, 
it's pretty clear to me that the publishers are the people with the 
least money. Certainly most are more impoverished than their 
readers. Those few of us who actually make a profit are incredibly 
lucky. And FF depends very heavily on these dedicated publishers; 
without them, there would be nothing for me to review. Sure, I 
could hold the reviews hostage, not publishing unless they were 
paid for, but it feels wrong to me. On the other hand, I certainly 
won’t turn down any donations, and I deeply appreciate those 
publishers who feel that FF is worthwhile enough that they want 
to contribute financially as well as creatively. Those who feel this 
way can send me six bucks and get their copies first class instead 
of bulk rate for a year. Or they can send more and get gratitude 
in addition. */ 
kkkkk 
I have a suggestion that I believe would greatly increase the 
worth of your zine to me, and probably others. Add a small symbol 
(diamond?) before a review if the item is a zine or periodical that 
you haven’t seen or reviewed before. That way I can scan the pages 
to pick up on the really new ones, even if they are only new to 
you. There is a great deal of info packed into your reviews and I 
don’t want you to change them, their format, or order, but merely 
to highlight with a simple flag when a new zine comes along. I bet 
others would find this tiny feature a real plus. Hope you consider 
it. 
Kevin Kelly 
WHOLE EARTH REVIEW 
/* Thanks for the idea, Kevin. I like it. In fact, I’m using it. */ 


Kkkkk 

Thanks for joining is for the opening of “Samizine ‘89: The 2nd 
Annual North Brooklyn Small Press Convention”. Steve and I are 
writing this letter to inform your readers about the show, since so 
many of them submitted work and were included in the exhibition’s 
installation. Many also attended the opening. 

First off, it was a real big success in about every way possible 
(except no one got rich). It caught the attention of both the 
underground and mainstream press and, as a result, was well 
attended. NEW YORK PRESS, a large circulation paper distributed 
in NYC did a story on the show before the opening. The exhibit 











FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


received a special listing in THE VILLAGE VOICE as a “Voice 
Choice” for the week. 

The interest in the show was such that it was extended from 3 
weeks to 5 weeks, and the local paper DOWNTOWN, widely 
distributed in downtown Manhattan, did a special feature on the 
show and closing party (it was the front page, lead article—in fact, 
it was the whole front page, with 4 pages from the catalog printed). 
SCREW magazine also devoted a full page to the exhibit and closing 
party. “Midnight Blue” produced a documentary on the show. Matty 
Jankowski of Circle Arts in Brooklyn also produced a video 
documentary on the show that is being distributed throughout 
Europe. The zine world also received official sanction from the 
mainstream art world when the show was awarded a grant from 
Artist Space, a non-profit museum in New York. 

There was also a lengthy article about the opening in the 
BROOKLYN PHOENIX and just this week there was a full page 
review of the show in THE VILLAGE VOICE (and it was a real 
rave, too!), Peter Lamborn Wilson, one of the editors for the mighty 
zine SEMIOTEXT(E) devoted most of one of his bi-monthly radio 
shows on the New York station WBAI to reviewing the exhibition 
and many of the zines on display. WFMU, a college station (and 
the hippest around) also took time to review the opening during 
one of its music shows. 

Many people are interested in remounting the exhibit—having it 
travel to Europe or Russia—as well as touring through the U.S. in 
one form or another, We feel that our location in New York, the 
art capital (yes, unfortunately, still...) has helped to focus much 
deserved attention to this growing and exciting form of alternative 
art. 

Well over 200 individual publishers participated, easily repre- 
senting 2000 or more individual artists. There were at least 1000 
individual zines exhibited in the floor-to-ceiling style installation that 
served as part gallery, part reading room. The mass of material 
exhibited was staggering compared with a typical gallery exhibition, 
and the look and feel to the space was quite unique. 

As the show’s organizers, Steve and I are committed to sending 
the catalog of the show free to everyone included in its forty pages, 
But this is only a fraction of the total number of people who were 
included in the actual installation. It may take some time but we 
will try to send a press package of stuff that’s appeared about the 
show to the other hundreds of participants, We hope next year 
there will be more money for a bigger catalog and a budget for 
sending free copies to everyone in the show. 

Thanks to everyone who sent in material. Literally, it couldn’t 
have happened without you. We will be compiling a mailing list 
now and hope to contact you next fall when the exhibit will be 
remounted here again. We’re looking hard for a space in Manhattan 
to host next year’s event. Thanks again, 

Scott Cunningham 
Steve Cerio 


toot 

Please advise your readers that the deadline has passed for 
inclusion in my book, HUMOR AND CARTOON MARKETS. That 
is why I have not returned questionnaires to all those who requested 
them (can’t believe that 90% of the requests we made minus a SASE!) 

Nevertheless, all requests have been filed and since the book will 
be updated and published on a yearly basis, interested parties will 
receive a questionnaire for the 1991 edition during the summer of 
1990. 

Bob Staake 


kkk kk 

While Garry DeYoung represents a strong example of one means 
of dealing with governmental injustice, his article in FF33 is highl 
misleading where he states, “The person who hit you with the ball 
bat is the Defendant and no matter how wealthy he may be, the 
Court will provide him with a lawyer and full legal representation.” 
It is wholly inaccurate that a wealthy person gets free representation. 
In fact, prior to appointing counsel, the courts require the defendant 
to fill out a financial statement and affidavit of poverty. If the 
defendant does so, and is later found out to have lied in the affidavit, 
he will be further prosecuted and charged for all the court expenses 
incurred by him in his defense. Another major point of error in 
Garry’s description is his statement that the defendant will be 
provided with “full legal representation”. The Supreme Court rulings 
on indigent legal representation do not in any manner guarantee 


Letters 123 


the best legal aid, merely adequate. “Minimally adequate legal 
representation” is the exact language used by the courts. Please note 
the “minimal” part. 
Avi Naftel 
kkk 

I am thoroughly enjoying and making use of FACTSHEET FIVE! 
Am sharing it with others here. I haven't run into anyone who 
knew of it, but I will work on changing that. 

I also deeply appreciate PJ Bellomo’s review of the Senya books 
(#32 p.67). 

I only regret that there is no mention of the Caribbean, and this 
being a US colony, the address looks like just any ole state—like 
maybe Virginia. I wonder if it could be made clear that VI is the 
Virgin Islands. Senya spent his last 6 years here on St. Croix, his 
first 20 on Trinidad. 

Marty Campbell 


totktok 
Ace Backwords continues to be my favorite cartoonist. “Sexley’s 
Believe it or Nuts!” in the last issue was a riot and he seems to be 
poking heavy fun at his own ideology. What a guy! Or should I 
say, “What a person!”? 
Mark Kissinger 


kkkkk 
It would be kind of you to announce to your readership that if 
they send us $2 cash, a blank cassette tape, and a letter describing 
themselves briefly, we will make up a song about them, record it 
on the tape, and send it back to them. Also, please do not expect 
top-notch recording, but we promise that it will be at least as 
intelligible as your average Daniel Johnston record. 

Aaron & Tasha 

44 E. Hamilton 

Oberlin, OH 44074 


took 
Anyone who has enjoyed the work of Joe E. in these and other 
pages may be interested to know that I'll be publishing a regular 
book of his work beginning this very month (unfortunately to be 
completed after the FS5 deadline, however). The first issue features 
a story on Native American initiation rites, Joe’s account of driving 
home a very confused Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo), and I think a 
horror vignette too. Any and all advance orders ($2.50) would be 
appreciated. 

E. Jordan Bojar 

Brave New Words 

PO Box 20421 

Providence, RI 02920 


took 

In reply to Greg Evason’s letter in #33, I've gone through my 
records for last year, and I find that out of 11 transactions involving 
cash or money orders, I haven't been stiffed once. In fact, one zine 
that had gone under returned $4 cash at their own expense. However, 
it should be noted that I probably deal with the more mainstream 
publications in your listings. I assume that one is less likely to get 
burned by something like THE DROOD REVIEW OF MYSTERY 
than something with a title like FUCK OFF AND DIE QUARTERLY. 
There are undoubtedly some real assholes out there, but most of 
my dealings with the small press have been friendly and professional. 
I'm interested in what other readers might have experienced on this 
subject. 

Jon F. Glade 


kk kkk 

Well, somebody has to reply to Ace Backwords, and I suppose 
it might as well be me (sigh). 

Re an argument about females on the cover of FACTSHEET 
FIVE, Ace Backwords. says: “Men cannot have sex unless aroused 
by the sight of the woman, while the woman can have sex, aroused 
or not.” Pornography is “an essential” in “assuring the perpetuation 
of the human species”. 

1) It’s not true that an unaroused woman can “have sex” and 
an unaroused man can’t. “Having sex” with an unaroused woman 
is called rape, and is punishable by a jail sentence. Okay, Ace may 
say, it is possible to “rape” an unaroused woman and not an 
unaroused man. This is also not true. Anal rape of males is quite 
common (often perpetuated by heterosexual men seeking dominance 
of another, especially in jails, as Ace will find out when he’s 





124 Letters 


sentenced for having sex with unaroused women). It’s no use him 
whinging that the anus isn’t a sex organ. Neither is the unaroused 
vagina—both are just convenient holes. Anal rape of males often 
leads to orgasm (due to pressure on the prostate gland) but vaginal 
rape of females rarely leads to orgasm. 

2) Ace’s “proof” that women can have sex unaroused and men 
can’t is a cartoon of a man reading a tit-mag to get hot, while the 
woman in bed with him declares she isn’t interested. In non-cartoon 
language, a man is reading pornography in order to become 
sufficiently aroused to rape a woman who would otherwise be safe. 
Hey, I thought you liberal apologists said that pornography doesn’t 
cause rape? Get together and agree on a story, guys. 

3) Ace seems to think that the race will die out if men can’t 
look at pictures of naked women. This betrays his low estimation 
of men’s (not to mention nature’s) ingenuity. Blind men get aroused; 
a Victorian man, living in a land where even the legs of the tables 
were decently covered, often got 12 children from his wife; Arabs 
and other Moslem peoples seem to reproduce perfectly well in a 
society where a male never, ever sees a female over the age of 
about 8, except his wife, unless they are covered from head to foot 
and accompanied by a chaperone. This is because men are aroused 
on the spot, as it were, by the smell, touch, and also sight, of the 
woman they are currently with (and the woman, believe it or not, 
is aroused by him). Otherwise the species would have dies out long 
before it discovered PLAYBOY, Ace baby! If your cartoon man can’t 
make it without pictures and the cartoon woman isn’t interested 
when he’s got it up, I suggest that’s their problem, not a massive 
worldwide, hig sop failing of the human race. 

4) Assuming, for the sake of argument, that women don’t bother 
with sexual arousal (presumably they lie back and think of England, 
as Victorian women and Ace’s cartoon women were enjoined to 
do), and that men find women so repulsive that the only way they 
can get an erection and perpetuate the species is to read pornography 
(what a noble sacrifice men make for the sake of us silly women)), 
it still doesn’t explain why we should have more women than men 
on the cover of FACTSHEET’ FIVE. 

5) er, that’s it. 

Lyle Hopwood 
(Female. I know you Yanks can’t tell by the name.) 


kakkk 
Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your letter. Thank you 
for writing me. You said that you had received a couple of complaints 
from people who had ordered stuff from me and had not gotten 
it. 


Here’s the situation: a couple of months ago, I moved to a new 
place. The move turned out to be a nightmare...stuff lost, furniture 
damaged beyond repair...you get the idea. Anyway, my primitive 
filing system got completely trashed in the chaos which ensued. It 
has taken me weeks of shuffling through six years worth of 
accumulated mail to figure out what has been answered and what 
hasn’t. Its funny—I’m usually such a compulsively organized person. 


Anyhow, I am now, as far as I can make out, completely caught. 


up. I feel pretty bad about this...I know how irritating it can be to 
wait around for somebody to get her/his shit together, especially if 
there’s money involved. 

I would like anyone who is still waiting for anything to drop 
mea line. I promise to respond quickly, I would also like to apologize 
for any hurt feelings, It was certainly not my intent to create hassles. 

One possible problem might be the move. I have already had 
trouble getting my mail forwarded from my old place, and the 
Jehovah’s Witness now living there is not being too cooperative 
about saving that weird stuff for me. Here’s my new address: 

Edgar “Bolt” Upright 
107-H W. Main St. 
Carrboro, NC 27510 


tkkkkk 
I am interested in starting a food APA, with recipe sharing, food 
art, commentary, criticism, etc. 
Chef Jeff 
2429 Arkansas 
Lawrence, KS 66046 
kkkkk 
New zine looking for articles to advance/expand the idea of 
Rimbaud’s “déréglement de tous les sens” (arriving at the unknown 
by disordering all the senses. Looking for new theories and modern 


FACTSHEET FIVE #34 


deviations of the above, information on devices for the modification 
of brainwaves, reviews of modern literature and experimental music, 
interviews of cutting-edge individuals, as well as personal experience 
pieces, and what your rights are when dealing with arrogant police 
officers, and how to pick up a rich, beautiful girlfriend. 

Fresh A 

c/o Ordure 

8 Millbrook Rd. 

Kingston nh 

03848 


tok kkk 
I am a prisoner trying to fight the censorship policies here, since 
mere nudist materials are forbidden. I am also looking for people 
who share the same beliefs as those expressed in “Uncommon 
desires” and ANARCHY #19. Photos welcome. Write to: 

Harold Williams 

Box B 080806-3 

Anamosa, IA 52205 


tok tok 
I wish to start an APA devoted to cassette culture and related 
subjects. I will call it TZARA BULLET. Anyone should write...also 
am accepting mail art on the subject of TRISTAN TZARA for it. It 
will come out as soon as interest peaks.. 

Michael Behaviour 

PO Box 5833 

Winter Park, FL 32793-5833 


kkkkk 

Although I will continue to carry highway patrol accident photos 
as a category, they will not appear in any orders to people in the 
near future because my entire collection disappeared. So to those 
who ordered them and received substitutions, my apologies. If 
anyone is in possession of the aforementioned and highly-prized 
items and would be interested in a trade for other equally gross 
stuff please contact me at Diabolos Graphics Exchange, PO Box 4527, 
Portland, OR 97208. 

Scary Gary 
kkk tk 

I read the letter column in the last issue of FF5. Mr. Gunderloy 
defended himself nicely and then hung Ace Backwords out to dry. 
Ace had a viable point in that there are serious biological differences 
in men and women. While social conditioning shapes attitudes and 
behavior, the genetic hardwired differences remain in place. As to 
whether a cover or image is sexist or not, I don’t know. I do know 
that subjective interpretation is how an answer can be arrived at. 
Some people will be offended at any depiction of women as Mr. 
Gunderloy pointed out. On the other hand I perceive an assault on 
male heterosexuality. I will not apologize for being male and having 
a sex drive and the object of that drive being women. No, the cover 
in question did not inflame my lust and cause the rape of some 
innocent woman, though it may be all that Ted Bundy would have 
needed. Some serious problems exist in our American society 
concerning issues for women. Rape, domestic violence, abortion 
rights, just to name a few. An attempt to influence the selection of 
covers is an attempt at censorship. If the objection to the cover had 
been made by someone with the Christian Far Right, you would all 
still be laughing. I still am. oe: 







THIS LoNDoN \_ 
GROUP IS 


PROPOSING a 
AN ART STRIKE! 





1990 P.A.N.A.L. NETWORKING DIRECTORY 









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